


The Tech Girl

by zooting



Category: Now You See Me (Movies)
Genre: F/M, after nysm 2 came out, and now i just wanna like archive all of my fanfics, i wrote this in a week, ill post like a fuckton more dw, so i have this entire thing written
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-06-01
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:14:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 39,511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24486481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zooting/pseuds/zooting
Summary: uhhh let me know if y'all want more? i don't really know, i'm really just slappin my shit in an online environment lmao :')
Relationships: J. Daniel Atlas/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> uhhh let me know if y'all want more? i don't really know, i'm really just slappin my shit in an online environment lmao :')

Warning: mild Now You See Me 2 spoilers regarding characters' names and their affiliations.

“So, do you have any idea why's Boss avoiding me?” I ask, an incriminating undertone laced into my voice. While I am aware that I was appointed to a task that has nothing to do with inquiring my colleagues on personal matters, I am also aware of the fact that the assignment Bu Bu brought to my attention miserably failed to pique my interest. The current situation, however, was managing to do so- quite successfully.

There are two people in charge of this place- Bu Bu and Boss, and they seem to be giving me really unimportant tasks lately. Since they know my abilities, it's transparent that I was to catch onto the fact they're distracting me from the obvious object of their attention; an object of whose nature or whereabouts I am still unaware, mind you. They’re keeping me out of the loop on something. And it's big if I am to judge by the scattered bits and pieces of information I was able to gather. It’s only natural that I’m hell-bent on finding out more.  
  
“Nope,” Li answers me, the honesty I was familiar with filling his voice. Nevertheless, I remind myself that he might be involved in whatever little project is concealed from me and I'm coerced to further question him. Bu Bu is his gran, after all. He's bound to know something.

“What, so you’re telling me you don’t know what your Grandma is up to? She seems to be in Boss’ game, too.” I push him, hoping to make my flatmate crack and spill the tea I was certain he had. However, when I am met with his honest stare, I cannot deny that an interstice of doubt starts cracking the impenetrable pedestal I had placed my deduction on.  
  
“I’ve no clue. She’s higher up in the Eye than me. Even you are.” He shrugs in my direction. By this point, I'm fairly sure he's not a spy in their game. I settle on teasing him for his statement, trying to downplay my previous doubts with my usual sarcasm.

“Even I am? What’s that supposed to mean?!” He knows I’m messing with him, though. I’m just tormenting him 'cause I love him. He should- and probably does- know that. We’ve been friends for years. We’re even sharing apartments and if it weren’t for me, he’d still be living with his gran.

“Come on, Bec. You know I didn’t mean it like that.” He sighs loudly, obviously engrossed in his work and unwilling to deal with my antics. Necessary side note: the two of us technically can get in real trouble if we get caught.  
  
“Whoa, calm down. I know, I was just messing with you. Plus, you know I’m aware of my role here.” I huff, only partly-serious. For the Eye, I work as a tech girl. Admittedly, I have a unique résumé, filled with a comprehensive knowledge on anything computer science. Nonetheless, I know my place.  
  
That is actually one of the main reasons I have my job. Naturally, I have aspirations of becoming something bigger, but I don’t fool myself and pretend I’m a magician in the Eye. I’m not, and that’s alright. I might become one, someday; I’m working on it. It’s on my bucket list, next to losing some weight and learning how to do a quad flip.  
“Good. And, you know, you’re pretty sick with computers. You’re just as much of a magician as anyone in this secluded place.” Li doesn't forget to reassure me. I give him a kind smile in return. Since he knows about my insecurities, he really knows how to make me feel special.

  
“Thanks. You guys are like a family to me. Honestly, with everything that you’ve done for me.” Let’s just say I got in trouble a few years ago. Jail level of trouble. And they went straight for the rescue, with Li in charge of the team. Helped me a lot, as I'm sure you figured.

Then there’s the fact that I don't have an actual family. A biological one, I mean. After spending the last four years with the Eye, the people I grew close to are family to me. That counts Boss, Bu Bu and Li. Truthfully, I’m sort of aching for a girlfriend of my age, but I’m definitely not complaining about what I have now. I couldn't possibly, not with such supportive people.

We are a funky bunch, but that's what makes us so lovable.  
Aw.” He side-hugs me, my shoulder hitting his chest. “You’re family for us, too, you know?” He ruffles my hair. I’m on my way of sending a pointed glare with the clear intention of freezing him where he stands when I hear a voice calling for me. My head snaps in the general direction of the sound and I find myself getting as far from Li as possible.  
  
“Rebecca? Can you come here, please?” I recognize Boss' summons. I relax, knowing he doesn't pay any mind to the friendship Li and I share. Obeying his call, I awkwardly walk-run until I reach the door of his office. I cross my fingers, hoping for it to be the moment of truth, where I find out everything about this super-secret scheme.  
  
Just before I step in the room, though, I glance back at my silly best friend. He gives me a thumbs-up and a wide, crooked grin, his shoulders reaching impossible heights. I chuckle at Li's idea of supporting behaviour before returning the kind gesture and entering the office.  
-☆-

“Yes, Boss? You called?” I ask, shutting the door behind me.  
  
“I did. I heard you have some questions.” He gesticulates widely with his hands, his warm voice giving me a sense of security and confidence. Nonetheless, being the awkward individual I am, I manage to get buried in my nervousness.  
  
“Uh, yeah, as a- as a matter of fact I do.” I stutter, restlessly fiddling with my hands. He motions me to speak my mind, and that’s exactly what I do, in the politest manner I can muster.  
  
“You have been avoiding me, as of late. Giving me easy tasks I can do with my eyes closed. I can see there’s something big about to happen, you can’t hide these kinds of things from me. I can see it all over your face if nothing else. You know I can read people easily. What I’m saying is basically that I’m curious and I want in.” I finish, unlocking the achievement of having barely stuttered. In reply, Boss settles to simply smile at me, causing my brows to furrow in confusion. What?  
  
“That’s part of the reason I called you here.” He starts. I find myself compelled to cut him off, not exactly grasping the precise meaning of his words.  
  
“I thought you called me here to answer my questions...?” I say, confused still.  
  
“Yes. Exactly.” Oh, that was a rather peculiarly dumb inquiry. I really must learn to think before I speak. You see, I’ve had this problem for a long time. I was actually relocated from an unsettling number of foster homes back when I was a kid because of that exact pesky reason.  
  
“Oh. Right.” He’s willing to let me in, that's why he's going to answer my questions. “I must say, sir, it’s an honour.”  
  
“Nonsense. Now, onto briefing.” He motions, tilting his head and quirking his lips upward in a conspiring manner.

I nod, assume a straighter position and cross my hands behind my back. I have literally no idea as to why I did that. There is one possible explanation, though. I’ve probably binge-watched too many Marvel movies lately.  
  
“We’re about to bring new initiates in the Eye.” He deadpans, unleashing a chain reaction, which mostly consists of my brain cells going in overdrive. I quickly get over the initial suspicion, averting my attention to the elephant in the room.

I find my mouth hanging agape; this is bigger than I imagined. “And since you didn’t exactly fulfil an initiation, you’re going with them.” He continues, presumably thinking he is clearing up the eventual questions. I look at him in confusion, going to speak once more.  
  
“But sir, I thought I’ve proved myself with –” I start, but he efficiently cuts me off, sounding a bit impatient.  
  
“I did not say you didn’t prove yourself. I couldn't even think of saying that. We all know you did. But you did not enter the Eye in the traditional way. Consider this a test. You always said you wanted to be more than just our tech girl.” He explains, his previous statements having finally revealed their meaning.  
  
“I do. What further details do I get?” I eagerly inquire. Of course, I know what the Initiation is. Following orders practically blindfolded, hoping to prove one's worth of becoming a member in the infamous secret society. Since I start with an advantage anyway, already having a job within the Eye's ranks, I assume I won’t get any more details. I still have to ask, though.  
  
“You’ll find them on your laptop. You will leave immediately afterwards.” He says, a smirk finding its way onto his features. What’s all that about?  
  
“I understand. Thank you, sir.” I turn on my heels and silently sprint to my laptop. However silent I was aiming to be, I turn a lot of heads in my hasty run.  
  
Whoa, when he said 'on my laptop’, I didn’t expect the thing to be literally on top of my laptop. It's a tarot card. The World, actually; ironically painful. This Initiation does means the world to me. If I fail, I don’t know what will become of me. And I'm not sure I want to find out.  
  
I bring to mind the things I know about this tarot card. It’s part of the Major Arcana deck. Both upright and reversed, it predicts mostly bright things. If not, it is foreshadowed that the person who draws the card is the only one that holds the key to setting things right.  
  
Eventually, I turn the billet over and see a drawing of an eye, obviously referring to this secret society. Under the sketch are a few words.  
March 29  
4:44 PM  
45 East Evan St  
NY. NY  
I've always found the Eye's summons fascinating; they're known all throughout history.

On another note, I’m going to New York?! This is sick! I’ll meet the other initiates, there, too. Okay, that will be brilliant, I just know it. And, I’m going to New York!

Oh, my, I have to pack.  
-☆-  
Tarot card meaning:  
Upright:  
\- figuratively feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders;  
\- you are almost to the "finish line" in some way;  
\- you are getting closer to "who you really are," at your deepest levels;  
\- there's a very good chance that you are working far too hard for far too little recognition and money;  
\- things in the love department should be quite interesting, in a good way;  
\- you should be able to rest easier about money;  
\- your health should be on the upswing;  
\- you are likely to have several clear flashes of important spiritual insights during this time.  
-☆-  
Reversed:  
\- although there is a great deal of potential and promise for you, you may be feeling stuck;  
\- if you aren’t seeing progress when the world appears in reverse, take stock;  
\- it’s a time to take stock of how well your actual achievements are lining up with your potential;  
\- if you’re not sure what you are best at or where your talents truly lie, this is a time to get help;  
\- if you’re looking for love, reach out, if you close yourself off because of fear, nothing will change;  
\- this is an important time to begin saving and protecting yourself so that if hard times come again, that you’ll be prepared;  
\- something may be stuck in your mind and body which is interfering with your best health;  
\- as with the upright meaning of the World, you are likely to have several clear flashes of important spiritual insights during this time.  
Edited: August 31, 2016


	2. Chapter One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow i'm rereading this and it has a lot of typos & shit but like,,,,folks i was 15 when i wrote it please cut me some of that sweet slacc i was a dumb bitch thinkin' i was a girl and shit

One packed luggage, a new identity and a two-and-a-half-hours flight later, I find myself wandering about in one of New York City's many airports; not exactly unaccustomed with the overwhelming congestion the crowd of people provides. However, I do feel like I have a fair share of clarifying to do. I'll have you know, the new identity has a straightforward, however long-winded motive.  
  
As mentioned before, I am unaware of my parents' current whereabouts, condition or even medical status. Therefore, the fact that I don’t know my real identity is easily explained. You might find yourself in a doubtful position, reluctant of certain facts or statements I grant. Know that the previous comment does not repudiate my initial claims. The reason behind my knowledge of my first name, Rebecca, is easily explained if one just knows that the only item I have left from my parents, a necklace, has that name on it.  
  
Alas, back onto our story. Since I am currently unaware of my last name, I figured it might better, and safer, to go for a new identity, altogether. Once I presented the idea and the reasoning behind it to Boss, he agreed. So now, I’m- Bloody hell, I always forget the faux names I use. With a fast glance at my passport, my memory is refreshed and I vaguely recall choosing my name as Tanya Jones. If you're interested in finding out how I came by the name, a quick Google search is my source of inspiration. I learned Jones is one of the most common surnames in the U.S.; as for 'Tanya', well, I figured it's as far from Rebecca as one could go.  
-☆-

Forced to endure extreme thirst throughout the flight, as I have always been completely against trusting strangers with my meals, it is only common sense that the first thing I do when I’m out of the endless airport lines is buy myself a bottle of water. Bottle which I down in less than 30 seconds, mind you. Running the prioritized to-do list through my brain, I unsuccessfully try digging up the address of the hotel I'll be staying at. Alas, I have to open the Notepad in my phone in order to check it, retaining the information for probably, as unfortunate as it is, less than ten minutes.  
  
I hail a cab and give the driver the now proudly known address of my hotel, bringing to mind the information I got from the reviews. It's a cozy and relatively cheap one; since it's the 28th of March, there's still a night until the meetup, and I intend spending at the mentioned place. I chose against spending a lot of money on a high-class, uselessly expensive hotel for a lot of reasons. First off, it's just for one night, so I have little need of anything fancy. Second off, while I do have the possibility of obtaining more money, it’s not exactly legal. Which is why I'd rather avoid swinging that way.

Having arrived at my hotel, I get the keys to my room from the reception and make myself comfortable once I get to my assigned place. Worn out from the packing, tiredness and excitement, I figure it's best to keep the evening free of any tumult; all the buzz should happen tomorrow. Hence, I proceed to take a shower, change into my pajamas and scroll through Tumblr until I fall asleep.  
-☆-  
  
In the next morning, I manage to drag myself out of bed, into the bathroom and succeed to make myself look borderline presentable. Even though I can't say I've tried very hard, I can add, in my defense, that I put makeup on; seeing as I generally can’t be bothered to wear any, I think that counts as a fruitful attempt. I perfect the outfit with the neat touch of sunglasses, since it's really sunny outside. I place my everyday glasses in their case and put them away in my backpack, so I can have them in my reach if need be.  
  
Once I'm outside, I notice it’s eleven o'clock and I haven't yet had breakfast, so I swish out handy ol' Google and look for an affordable nearby place to eat. Finding one, I hurry there and chug a fast and probably really unhealthy meal; once that's over with, I start walking around the streets of New York. I assume I'll be around for quite some time, and if I'm right, I need to feel the vibe of the city I'm going to accommodate in. However, in the short time of my stroll, I do manage to visit some of the most interesting places NYC can provide its tourists with.  
  
Keeping myself busy, I don't notice how fast the time flies, and the first time I think to check my watch, I see it's already 3:30 p.m. I coax myself to stop sightseeing and go fulfill the actual task I came into New York for. I get into the nearest restaurant, grab a meal that looks delightedly more healthy than my rushed breakfast, then finally hop on a cab to 45 East Evan Street.  
-☆-  
  
Once I reach the place, I get out of the car and hurriedly pay the cabbie. Glancing at my watch, I realize I’m one minute and thirty seconds to being late. Of course I am. On the very first day, I'm on a fine way of making a brilliant impression. Wonderful. Ceasing the scolding of my late self, I brush off any irrelevant thoughts and enter the building. The dusty air is filled by orotund, maybe even taut voices from upstairs. I jog, following their source. As my feet touch the final stair, I raise my sunglasses from the upper bridge of my nose and fix them in my hair.

“ – locked.” A voice finishes, just as I appear into everyone's line of sight. I counted three voices, so there's at least three people. My arrival is met with the expected immediate silence, the last uttered word floating in the awkward silence. Analyzing the situation, I see four people; three that I recognize and one -the man who spoke- that I don’t. Henley Reeves, J. Daniel Atlas and Merritt McKinney being the former and a man of my age being the latter.  
  
In the small amount of time spent in painful awkwardness, the tenseness of the situation practically bounces between the enclosing walls. Succeeding into brushing it off, I avert my attention to the guy that's unknown to me and I manage to pick up a few things on him. The one thing that's strikingly obvious is that he bears all the signs of a pickpocket: naturally glancing at my pockets; nervously fiddling with his own; bland clothing and a tense figure when I stare at him. Yeah, I’m calling it. Pickpocket.  
  
“Hi.” I speak in a quavering voice, my attempts to sound modulated thrown to the wind. I'm really hoping the deduction process didn’t take more than a second's time, which I could eventually brush off as shock. After all, I wouldn’t want to be perceived as a weird person. First impressions matter the most, as I just proved. Had the guy not been so painfully careless with his body language, I might not have picked up on it.  
  
Going back to the three people I recognize; the reason for that is the fact they're superstars in the magic domain. Seeing that’s exactly the kind of people the Eye protects, I’ve heard about pretty much everything they ever did. Saying that I'm nervous might be playing it safe; too safe. I'm downright skittish.

“I’m guessing you’ve got one of these, too, huh?” Merritt McKinney asks, revealing the tarot card the aforementioned secret society used for his summons. He got The Hermit? Strange, yet dubiously fitting. I take the backpack off and start looking for my own card, taking my sweet time and managing to further assess the situation.  
  
Why is everyone stationed around the door? Waiting for someone? Doubt it; there have rarely been so many initiates as it is. It's highly unlikely for all of them to have arrived in the same time, only moments before me. Therefore, only one valid option remains, option that checks out with the word I overheard. The door must be locked. There’s a surprising amount of thinking you can do while searching for something. And I’ve got a pretty fast mind. It's part of my skill set, if you may.  
  
“Oh, yeah. Just- give me a second.” I finally find my card in the backpack that's always filled with a billion things, fishing it out and showing it to the group of four, flashing them a nervous smile. “Here. It’s The World.”  
  
“Neat. Merritt McKinney. The Hermit, apparently.” He presents himself, extending his hand as a friendly smile rests on his features.  
  
“I know.” I shake his hand, noting that I definitely came off as a creep. Great job on not being a weirdo. “I’m Tanya Jones.” I present myself, barely letting a relieved sigh slip. I was literally this close to saying 'Rebecca'.  
  
“J. Daniel Atlas.” The wavy haired man cautiously eyes me up and down before choosing not to extend his hand, after all. Despite my reluctance and nervousness, my words roll off my tongue before I can stop them.  
  
“Um, I know.” Even more of a creep now; good job, Rebecca. Way to make a first impression. Always count on me to be the awkward person. You won’t ever be wrong.  
  
“I got The Lovers.” He continues, looking completely unimpressed with me. I raise my eyebrows, but nod in his direction. J. Daniel Atlas did have a reputation of- Well, I wouldn't say manwhore, but more of a... Women are weirdly attracted to him, for some reason.  
  
“And I’m –” I cut the woman off, desperately hoping I'm not coming off too strong.  
  
“Henley Reeves, yes, I know about you three. I’ve seen about, uh, everything you’ve ever done. And no, not in the weird, creepy stalker way. Just, like –” I take a deep breath, straightening my back and planning my sentences out. “Okay, let me start again. I’ve seen most of your shows. I really love them.”  
  
“Oookay.” Daniel raises his eyebrows impatiently.  
  
“And I have the High Priestess.” Henley ignores Atlas’ comment, nonchalantly continuing to introduce herself.  
  
“Uh, I’m Jack, Jack Wilder. I’ve got The Death.” The pickpocket says nervously. After identifying his card, I’m definitely seeing a pattern here. All the tarot cards are from the Major Arcana. I wonder if that means anything, or am I just over thinking? Either way, I give Jack Wilder a smile before addressing him.

“Which reminds me, do you have a bobby pin?” Besides Henley, he’s the most likely one to have one. And she wears her hair loose and doesn’t seem to have a hair tie. Hence, Jack is the only likely one to have a bobby pin. Not two seconds after I finished my question, the whole squad turns to me, varying degrees of confused looks across all of their faces.  
  
“Oh, come on. The door is locked and he’s a pickpocket. Henley doesn’t seem to have one, it was the obvious lead.” I reason, trying to get them to hurry up a bit, now that my anxiety is surely, albeit slowly, washing away.  
  
“Obvious?” Henley repeats, befuddled.

  
“We’re losing time. We’re on the clock here.” Atlas points out. Okay, I can already say he’s a control freak and he’s only ever said two things-slash-phrases around me. It’s embedded in his body language, I swear. Jack moves and opens the door with a click. Inside the apartment is so dark, I can’t see three centimeters in.  
  
Henley opens the flashlight app on her phone faster than I can even unlock mine. Atlas has, oh-so-conveniently, a flashlight, which he puts to good use. I decide to make myself at least sort of useful and use my phone to, uh, shed some light on the situation.

Gorgeous puns, Becca.  
  
Henley is the first one who enters, and I’m the very last one. I really feel the love here. And I’m expected to do some really productive teamwork with these guys? What’s Boss even thinking?  
  
“What is this place?” Henley asks. I resist the urge to answer with a witty comeback and decide to keep my head cool. She opens a door we come across and a weird smell comes from the room -the bathroom, I guess.  
  
“Oh, wow. And I thought my apartment was nasty.” Merritt says, half-turning to me. I smirk in his direction, even though he can’t see me. Peeking into the room, I see it is, in fact, the bathroom and give myself a mental pat on the back.  
  
“Man, it’s freezing in here.” Jack says. It’s a bit cold, yes, but it’s not freezing. Then again, I grew up in orphanages and homes all over my country, so I learned to adapt quickly. I think that’s why Boss took me in. Well, one of the reasons. That’s when we reach the, uh, living room? I think. It has to be.  
  
“What’s that?” I hear Henley ask. I’m so behind I can’t see! Oh, that that. It’s a note and a rose. White rose, to be exact.  
  
“I don’t know.” Atlas says.  
  
“What, is Snow gonna pop out?” I try to joke, but they don’t catch it. Except for Merritt, that is. He gives me a chuckle. I wave the others off, ignoring Atlas’ glare.  
  
“What’s it say?” I ask, shrugging off the awkward silence. He has the note in his hand so I motion him to read it. He rolls his eyes and averts his attention to the sheet of paper. I go near him, because curiosity always takes the best of me.  
  
“’Now you don’t’.” He reads and looks back at me pointedly. What’s it with this dude, really? I’m not planning on giving him a run for his money on the control freak job. Although I could. I’ve been called that a few times.  
  
“A rose, by any other name...” Henley says, picking the flower up, going to put it in the vase.  
  
“Would smell as sweet, yes.” I finish the quote absentmindedly, pointing my phone’s flashlight at the fancy carving in the floor. She drops the rose in the vase and the water inside starts to pour out, going for the middle of the floor, just where the logo-thing is. Which makes Atlas laugh, not sure why.  
  
“Guys, what’s happening?” Jack asks. I bend on my knees, to get a closer look on- well, everything that’s going on.  
  
“Whoa.” Merritt exclaims. “Look at that.” They all start dropping their bags on the floor, for some weird reason only they know. Did I miss any nonexistent cue?  
  
“Whoa.” I agree with Merritt, somehow managing so speak in sync with Atlas. I throw him the same glare he threw me earlier and I resume my investigation. Only to see that the water filling out the carving activates, um, something.  
  
“That’s gas!” The pickpocket freaks out.  
  
“Nuh-uh.” I say, managing to cross my words over Merritt’s.  
  
“Relax.” He glances at me and I nod at him. He’s good to continue his explanation. “It’s just dry ice.”  
  
“Cool!” He mutters.  
  
“Wait, what do you think this is all about?” Atlas asks Merritt with genuine interest. So, he has the ability to not be a complete douche bag. Whoa. I didn’t see that coming.  
  
“Hang on. Hang on.” Merritt mutters. Of course, after putting his hands up to his forehead, I knew this wasn’t leading anywhere productive.  
  
“Got anything, Professor X?” I say, loud enough for all to hear. Surprisingly, I get light laughs from all of them, even from Atlas. Not from Merritt, but he gets the all-clear ’cause he caught onto my last one.  
  
“I got nothing.” Merritt admits.  
  
“Okay, thank you. Thank you for the delay.” Atlas snaps right back into doucheness.  
  
“I’m just trying to create the space for wisdom.” Merritt gesticulates furiously. I realize the logo thing is a bust. It’s not a good lead, so I get up and try to find something useful.  
  
“Oh, okay, so you’re like Buddha, if he wasn’t so enlightened.” Atlas stutters. At least I found someone who stutters worse than me. Testosterone showdown going on here, guys. And I’m in the middle of the shit storm. I remove myself quickly from the dangerous area and start looking for something useful.  
  
“Oh, and you’re like Jesus, if he was arrogant and his miracles were fake.” My head snaps back to them.  
  
“Oi, cut it.” I say.  
  
“Yeah, lovebirds get a room.” Henley continues my idea. “Danny, be honest, did you do this?” She asks. I cringe a bit at the ‚Danny’ part, but I mask it by turning to the wall. Oh, hang on. I think I just caught a glint with my flashlight.  
  
“No. Wait, did you?” He asks, and I can basically feel his glare on my back. I obviously ignore it. If only I could identify the glinting thing. Or get a closer look at it, for that matter.  
  
“I-I wish.” Jack answers. I can hear the smile in his words. “Tanya?” He asks me. I roll my eyes, even though they can’t see me.  
  
“I’m a hacker, not a wizard.” I answer him, getting closer to the glint. I realize it’s metallic. Interesting.  
  
“Why didn’t anyone ask me if I did it?” Merritt asks, sounding half-hurt. When the rest scoff or turn as an answer, he replies. “Oh, great.”  
  
“Electricity’s out.” Jack says. This metallic thing, it’s actually quite interesting. It’s a sphere, and it looks like similar technology we use back at the- Oh. Obviously. I turn to face the room just in time to hear Merritt’s reply.  
  
“Well, let’s check.” Merritt says and basically just touches a light bulb. I mean, if he turned it, it must’ve been by a tenth of a degree. The device I identified earlier lights up, along with two others way across the room. All of them are forming a hologram just in the middle of it. The five of us approach it. Henley gives a wowed laugh. I take a little pride in that. I helped create this tech.  
  
“Blueprints.” I mutter.  
  
“They’re incredible.” Merritt says, making my heart swell a bit more. I know he means the blueprints, not the tech, but still.  
  
“Who do you think did this?” Jack asks, looking really astounded.  
  
“I don’t know, but I really want to meet them.” Henley answers him. I can’t help but smile at that. Oh, only if she’d know.  
  
“It’s a show.” I realize, piecing it all together. It’s easier for me to do that, since I know how this works, but I’m sure they’d have realized soon.  
  
The same logo-thing that’s on the middle of the floor drifts over to Atlas’ side, and he basically just pokes it. I can hear Merritt’s breathed wow. My heart is literally going to explode from pride. I wowed three world renowned magicians. I just did that.  
  
“How are we going to figure this all out?” Jack asks.  
  
“Oh, I can easily do that.” I assure them.  
  
“How?” Atlas asks, sounding really suspicious.  
  
“I’m a hacker. I’ll manage.” I say, a smile plastered on my face.  
  
“A hacker? You were serious? You’re not an illusionist? Or anything that has to do with that?” Henley asks me. I feel the same small pang of pain I get when people in the Eye ask me that. I know she doesn’t mean it in an offensive way, but I can’t help it. A girl can have high expectations.  
  
“Well, I’m magical with computers, alright. But no, I’m not anything like you guys.” I answer. I am way out of their league, and Boss knows it. I’m honestly still not realizing what he wants with me here.  
  
“I suppose we’ll need a techie to help us with the shows.” Merritt says.  
  
“Yeah, that’s not what I wanna know. How did she know the door’s locked? Or that Jack’s a pickpocket? Or that, that thing with Henley not having bobby pins?” Atlas questions, moving his finger up and down.  
  
“Whoa, am I at debriefing or anything, Director Fury?” I shoot at him, my eyebrow raised.  
  
“And please stop with the nerdy references, you’re annoying everyone.” He says, stuttering like hell. I raise the other eyebrow, looking at him weirdly.  
  
“You do realize that by identifying them as nerdy, you’ve identified yourself as such?” I ask, managing not to stutter. I hear the others snorting and see Atlas glaring at them.  
  
“Just answer the damned questions.” He says, trying to look right through the hologram, straight into my eyes. I kind of snap then, and I do something I know I’ll regret later.  
  
I help him really look into my eyes. I move my hands and swipe the whole hologram, breaking it into pieces into different parts of the room, so it’s no longer in between the five of us.  
  
I walk up to him, chin held high, trying to keep my body language confident. When I get at less than a meter from him, I start one of my usual rambles. I’m obviously stuttering like the worst thing ever, but I somehow manage to talk fast. Boss himself was amazed when he learned I can do this.  
  
“Well, for starters, you were all standing outside the door looking like idiots and I overheard the last word Jack said, ‚locked’, so there goes that mystery. Then, well, the part with the pickpocket is pretty obvious; do you really want me to walk you through it?” Before he has the chance to cut me off, I continue my rant.  
  
“Okay, just ’cause you asked nice. When I first arrived, one: he was nonchalantly glancing at my pockets, two: nervously fiddling with his own, three: he has bland clothing. Now, why would a young person like him do that? Not to mention the four: incredibly tense figure when I stared at him? Yeah, I called it. Pickpocket.” I clap my hands, pointing them to the man himself. Jack.  
  
“Next one – just because we’re having so much fun already.” I say, walking between the four, taking in their astounded looks. “The Henley mystery. Well, I might be wrong, but she doesn’t seem to have any hair tie visible on her wrist, and, unless she has some weird obsession with them, I really doubt she’d put it back into her bag if she’d have used it. Therefore, two probable options: one, she didn’t use it, two, she didn’t have one. Option one goes to the obvious lead that she didn’t need anything to keep her hair on point, even though she has a few stray hairs from the wind. Obviously, if she would have had a bobby pin, she’d have used it. Second option is less likely, but if she didn’t have a hair tie, she wouldn’t have a bobby pin either, it’s not natural. Any questions?” I finish the rant, looking in between them. I totally wiped the smug look off of Atlas’ face. But, um, why is it coming again?  
  
“Well, yes, as a matter of fact.” He speaks even quickly than usually. Does he really think I’m trying to race him or anything? “How did you know how to use the tech?” See, told you I’d regret it.  
  
“After seeing you interact with it, I kind of acted on instinct. I completely understand if you can’t follow, but we hackers have pretty good instincts when it comes to understanding new tech. There’s almost always the same principle, same starting point, that you might not quite comprehend.”  
  
“Oh? What’s that?” He shoots at me.  
  
“Uh, maybe the ‘ON’ button?” I snap back, making the other three magicians laugh, and rendering Atlas speechless.  
  
“That was impressive!” Henley praises. I shoot her a warm smile. “Are you sure you’re not a mentalist?”  
  
“Pretty sure, yeah.” I say. “I’m just really good at observing things. So, did I get anything wrong?” I ask them.  
  
“Only one tiny detail.” Henley looks at me, looking sorry to point it out. Ugh, there’s always something. But I’m really curious to find out what I got wrong. The hair tie one, probably. Has so many options I could have easily overlooked one.  
  
“I do have a hair tie. And I had it on. But it’s in my handbag.” She says.  
  
“Damn it! There’s always something!” I mutter.  
  
“What?” Jack asks.  
  
“There’s always something I get wrong.” I say.  
  
“But it was nothing! The whole thing was really cool!” Jack replies.  
  
“Yeah, you could give Merritt a run for his money, I’m sure.” Henley approves. “That tiny thing didn't mean anything.”  
  
“It wasn’t nothing.” I clarify. “It could’ve easily destroyed my whole theory. Also, about the me-overpowering-Merritt thing. I wouldn’t be so sure.”  
  
“Thank you! At least someone here has a functional brain.” Merritt barges in. I chuckle at him.  
  
“No, buddy, don’t understand me wrong. I could totally rule you out when it comes to reading body language and facial expressions.” Merritt fake pouts. “But there’s something else you do I can’t quite get the hang of. And I’m shitty at hypnotizing someone.” The corners of his lips quirk upwards again.  
  
“Anyway, the hologram?” Henley reminds me.  
  
“Oh, right! I’ll just set up my laptop and see what I can do.” I say.  
  
“How much time do you need?” She asks me. I think a bit. I need to show them I’m good, but not that I’m already familiar with the tech. Half an hour should do fine.  
  
“Thirty minutes. Thirty five if there’s some firewalls in those beauties’ software.” I point at the devices in the wall. “You guys go for a walk or something, and when you come back I’ll be done.”  
  
“What if we don’t wanna go to a walk?” Atlas inquires, almost provoking me. Really, mate? That all you got? Well, on the upside, at least he’s done sulking.  
  
“Then stay here. But don’t, uh, bother me, or I’ll strangle you with a wire. Or, better yet, burn you with my easily overheated laptop battery. Depends on how much you, well, piss me off.” I answer him. And the stutter’s back, obviously.  
  
“Yeah, okay, I got it.” He answers.  
  
“Good.” I shoot back, taking out my laptop and finding an outlet to plug it in. Merritt and Henley leave, presumably going for that walk I suggested. Jack and Daniel stay behind with me. Jack comes near me. Great, now I’ll have to put up an act of being astounded at my own tech. Damn it, Boss.  
  
I rub my hands together and crack any crackable bone. Well, crackable for me. I finish with my knuckles and ignore the bothered look Atlas sends me. It’s sort of my ritual before I start doing something.  
  
I get up and find an USB port in the devices. I take all of them out of the walls, making the holograms go out, themselves. I connect one to my laptop and a part of the hologram lights up again. Oh, so I’ll have to run a decryption program, too. The data is scattered between the three devices, but it should piece up nicely once I have it all nice and decrypted.  
  
Ten minutes and two fake failures later (Jack’s behind me, watching me. I do have to put on a show), I manage to get all the data on my laptop. Then, I do the same for the other two devices, minus the mistakes. I run into a bit of trouble –real trouble- on the third, but I fix it in under 5 minutes. I glance at my watch.  
  
Okay, so now there’s been, um, 24 minutes and a half since the pair left. I still have time for the decryption program.  
  
“Wanna see something cool?” I ask Jack. He jumps a bit, but answers me.  
  
“Heck, yeah.” I smile in his direction. He wants to see something cool, let me show him something cool. I import all the data in the same file and I run the decryption program I’ve been using for five years. I built quite a while ago, but I’m constantly tinkering on it. I’m rather attached to it, really.  
  
I lay back and the data basically rearranges itself, slowly showing numerous details.  
  
“Whoa.” Jack breathes. That’s when Atlas decides to come and check out what’s happening. His eyes widen in surprise, as the text and images slowly reveal themselves.  
  
I smile at their reaction, then get up and let my laptop do all the hard work. About halfway in the decryption, I have to put the cooler under it, so it won’t shut down and let me having to handle with the rest. I really need a new laptop. But I love this one so much; I don’t want to give it up.  
  
“Honey, we’re home!” Merritt shouts when he enters the apartment.

“Tanya, how’s it going with the- uh, whatever it is that you’re doing?” Henley asks me, when she gets near me.  
  
“Good, go check it out. The decryption should be almost done.” I say, glancing up from the tarot card in my hands. She bends over my laptop and I see the typical signs of astonishment on her face: mouth slightly hanging, eyes widening and apparent temporary freeze.  
  
Yep, she likes it.  
  
Merritt goes behind her and raises his eyebrows in appreciation.  
  
“Good job, kid. How long?” He asks.  
  
“Uh.” I get up and look at my laptop. “Three more minutes, tops.”  
  
“Great.” He replies.  
  
“Oh, guys?” I ask. They all turn their attention to me, so I figure I have the all-clear to continue. “I realized a potential problem. Where are we going to live?” They all have blank expressions, so I go on.  
  
“I mean, we all have to live at least in the same building, because I wouldn’t trust telephone lines or anything else. Other than face-to-face communication.” I say, adding the last bit as an extra explanation. I probably messed up my grammar, but I don’t think back on it, or I’ll have a cringe attack.  
  
“And from what I see, we have about a year to pull this off.” I finish, looking at my laptop. It’s almost done.  
  
“Why don’t we live here?” Henley asks.  
  
“Doesn’t anyone else live here?” Atlas asks, in response.  
  
“Terrifyingly good question.” I point out.  
  
“Okay, well, how can we find out?” Jack asks with confusion plastered on his face.  
  
“Shouldn’t be too hard.” I say, a smirk sneaking its way on my lips.  
  
“You can do it?” Merritt questions.  
  
“Of course. We just have to wait until my decryption program finishes about... now. Okay, great.” I work a bit of my tricks and manage to hack into the town hall’s records. There is, surprisingly, a functional wireless router somewhere in this house. With a low-security password. Almost too easy, Boss.  
  
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you. This place is rented for the whole of next year and a half under his name.” I point to Atlas. They all scurry behind me to check. I roll my eyes at their behavior and show them.  
  
“Well, that settles it.” Jack says.  
  
“Yeah.” I reply.  
  
“Okay, what about the decryption program thing?” Merritt asks. Right, the plans.  
  
“Just a second.” I mutter absentmindedly, pulling out all the decrypted data. I roam my eyes all over it, there’s a lot here. Information on the Eye, on the shows, the locations, hours, heists we’ll be apparently pulling off. Somehow.  
  
“I think you should take a look at it, yourselves.” I say, removing myself from the laptop. “But don’t hurt my baby!” I shout, seeing them basically throwing themselves at my poor piece of tech.  
  
“Damn.” Atlas mutters.  
  
“Yeah, this is big.” Henley agrees.  
  
“Huge.” Merritt corrects.  
  
“Pretty cool, actually.” Jack barges in.

“If we manage to pull it off, that is.” I speak up, taking in their worried-hyped out-amazed looks. Oh, boy. It’ll be one hell of a year. And I can’t wait for it.  
Edited: September 1, 2016


	3. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pleathe excuse the dumbass typos ty

So, in the next week or so we’ve decided to properly settle at HQ. We’ve all brought our baggage. Thankfully, I packed enough for a week. And I guess the rest did, too. Apparently, none of us are lucky enough to live in New York, except for Jack. We’ll have to live on the small baggage we each have. And I’ll probably ‚borrow’ Jack’s t-shirts and hoodies. He looks like the same size I am. I’ll manage.  
  
Until we make some money, that is. I would rather not going back into my dark days and run some credit card scams, but I guess I could. As a last resort. I got better since last time anyway. I won’t get caught now. Plus, I have the Eye on my side.  
  
The first week basically flies by. We all move in. I’m sharing a room with Henley, I don’t know about the rest. It takes about four days to completely settle in. We figure out a schedule, so we know who’s cleaning up, who’s cooking, who’s buying food, and all the regular daily tasks. By the fifth day, I manage to analyze the blueprints and information from the Eye, and compile a sort of to-do list. I’m a crazed person who does lists for everything.  
  
I tell the rest about the Eye, the information that is already included in the blueprints, or anywhere online.  
  
„Yeah, so this thing is a sort-of organization that protects magicians. And we are, apparently, initiates. We have to –get this- „follow a series of commands with blind obedience.” Yeah, I’m quoting.”  
  
„So we’re candidates for initiation now? When did that happen? Did I miss something?” Atlas asks.  
  
„Dunno, man. I don’t remember signing up to anything.” Jack says.  
  
„Me neither. But this looks kinda thrilling. I’d love to get into a secret organization that does very Robin Hood-y things.” I say. They better not be leaving on my watch. Is this why Boss sent me, really? To make sure they don’t abort?  
  
„Yeah, I’m in.” Merrit says.  
  
„What’s life without a little fun?” Henley barges in.  
  
„Okay, you’ve convinced me.” Jack changes his mind. I beam at him. We all look at Atlas.  
  
„Danny?” Henley urges, making me cringe a bit at the nickname. They have some serious couple issues to solve. The tension between them can basically be described as an infinitely tense string, waiting to snap at any time.  
  
„Yeah, okay, yeah, I’m in.” He stutters. „Sure, but if any of you prove to be too annoying to handle, I’m out of here.” He says, eyeing me. I raise an eyebrow in his direction. Seriously, this guy?  
  
„Okay, now that we’re settled. Take a look on the list I’ve made and tell me if I missed anything.” I say. „Knowing myself, I probably did.” I finish.  
  
„Yeah, totally.” Jack agrees, sarcastically. I roll my eyes at him and turn the computer so they can take a look at it.  
  
„It seems oka-” Henley starts, but is cut off by Merrit.  
  
„No, it most certainly doesn’t!” He almost-yells. „What will we call ourselves?” We all look at him blankly and slightly disbelieving, so he continues. „This Eye thing wants us to pull of three heists through shows, right?” We all nod. It honestly looks like a kids’ commercial.  
  
„So we need a name. As a- as a group, y’know. A stage name.” He finishes. My eyes light up in realization.  
  
„Oh! Brilliant idea. We have to find a name for you guys!” I say, finally realizing what he means.  
  
„Wait, us guys? What about you guy? Well, girl.” Jack asks. I genuinely snort at that. Very ladylike, I know.  
  
„What?” Henley asks, confused.  
  
„Oh, come on! I’m not coming upstage with you.” I answer.  
  
„Why not?” Merrit inquires.  
  
„Sorry, isn’t it obvious? Unless you want me to deduce the hell out of the audience, then I don’t- I don’t, uh, exactly know what you’d want me to do. I’m not magic. I’m not like you guys.” I finish.  
  
„She’s right, though.” Atlas says. They all turn at him, but it’s Henley who speaks up.  
  
„Danny! How can you say that?!” For once, I don’t cringe at the ‚Danny’ part. She stood up for me, so she deserves it.  
  
„Look, no offense.” He glances at me. „I mean, you’re highly logical and can see connections where others don’t, but you’re not- well, magic, like you put it.” Atlas almost compliments me. Damn, where did this come from? Sure, it’s coated in a mild insult- that is, if I didn’t already know these things. But I do. So this is mostly a compliment. Woah.  
  
„None taken. It’t the truth.” I say.  
  
„What, so what are you gonna do?” Jack seems a tad confused.  
  
„I think you’ll really need someone backstage. To push all the right buttons, in the right time. I don’t think you can afford a huge tech team –trust wise, that is. You need someone you can trust.” I explain.  
  
„So we can trust you?” Atlas asks. I can understand the suspicion, but I’m still feeling a bit hurt. You’d say that being a person with trust issues myself, I’d be more understanding. I’m not, apparently. Tough.  
  
„I did get a tarot card, didn’t I?” I say, my lips quirking upwards. Jack smiles at my clever answer. Something tells me we’ll be great friends. I think we’ll all be close by the time this is over. I hope they won’t feel very betrayed when they find out who I really am. Okay, who am I kidding, they probably will.  
  
„Okay, so what does that make you?” Henley asks.  
  
„The tarot card or my part for you guys?” I reply, confused. She rolls her eyes. Come on, she wasn’t explicit!  
  
„The part, obviously.” She snickers.  
  
„You know, I think my attitude is rubbing off on you.” I answer. She gives me a faked shocked look, making me roll my eyes. „Anyway, I thought my answer is obvious. I’m your tech girl.” I finish. They all have some very ‚fair enough’ looks on their faces.  
  
„Okay, so what about the rest of us? You got your stage name, what are we named?” Merrit pushes in a whiny voice, making me laugh. He sounds so childish!  
  
„Well, we want to be remembered, right?” Atlas asks.  
  
„Duh.” I reply, making him glare at me.  
  
„Well, then we need a timeless name. Something everyone would know, too.” Atlas continues his argument.  
  
„Okay, I follow.” I reply. „Got anything?” I ask him.  
  
„Not really.” He admits. „But I think that’s a good starting point.” He finishes.  
  
„It is. I’ll look into it.” I tell them. „By tomorrow I expect to have at least three suggestions. That is, if one of you doesn’t find anything in the meantime.” I glance at them. Henley’s been silent for a curious amount of time. She looks like she’s in deep thought.  
  
„Henley?” I call. Her eyes snap to mine and she has an interested look on her face, making me smile. „You got anything?”  
  
„I might.” She admits. „Have you heard of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse?” My eyebrows shoot up.  
  
„I never would have taken you for such a religious person.” I say. She gives me a smile, neither denying, nor confirming my words. „And it fits. I mean, four were released, in reality.”  
  
„The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse? It’s kind of a mouthful.” Jack perks up.  
  
„No, just ‚The Four Horsemen’ should do it.” Merrit argues.  
  
„Yeah, has a nice ring to it.” I agree.  
  
„I like it.” Atlas approves, and we all turn shocked to him. „What? I can approve of a good idea.” He goes defensive.  
  
„The Four Horsemen it is.” I say. „Now, we have to start planning. But I, for one, am starving. Whose turn is it today?”  
  
„Jack’s.” Henley answers. I turn to him and put on a puppy look. „Will you go get something to eat? Please? Pretty please? With pumpkin juice on top?” I plead. His eyes light up at the last bit and he smirks to me. Daniel and Henley roll their eyes and return to their respective rooms.  
  
„Fine, just thanks to that HP reference.” He playfully glares at me, putting his jacket on. Even after just a week of living together, we all know each other’s orders, so I don’t worry that he’ll do just fine. I send him a grin and a wink and go back to my laptop. Wait, we can’t plan anything without Jack.  
  
I decide on tinkering on my existing programs, constantly tugging at my fingerless gloves. I notice Merrit coming in and peeking at my current project. After a few minutes, I get bored, so I dump it. Instead, I change the password for the router and install a sneaky, interesting bit of software into it. Just so my fellow hackers can’t hack it. The neat thing is, it also works for the IPs. They’ll think we’re browsing normal things: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and the like, while we can do just about anything.  
  
„Damn, T.J., you’ve got some skills over there.” Merrit says, looking up from his book.  
  
„T.J?” I ask. „My initials? That’s the best you can muster?” I honestly think he can use his mind and find something more imaginative. Although I like it dubiously much. They don’t reveal much. I've always one for mystery.  
  
„Well, yes, they are your initials, but there’s a bit more to them.” He replies, making my eyebrow perk up in an unspoken question.  
  
„A bit more to what?” Henley asks, walking out of our shared bedroom. My head snaps in her direction. She goes to take a few blueberries from the fridge.  
  
„Merrit here was just telling me how there’s more to ‚T.J.’ than them just being my initials.” I summarize.  
  
„Oh?” She glances up at the mentalist, popping a berry into her mouth.  
  
„Well, she’s the tech girl now, right? Officially.” My eyes widen, in expectation, as he continues his explanation. „So I just thought. Tech girl. T.G. Similar to T.J. in writing, exactly the same in pronunciation.” He finishes. I look at him with an appreciative look.  
  
„It sounds nice. I like it.” Henley approves.  
  
„You like what?” Atlas walks out of his own room, his cards in hand.  
  
„The new nickname Merrit found for her.” She replies.  
  
„Oh? What’s that?” He seems interested, weirdly.  
  
„T.J.” I answer softly.  
  
„Hm, it’s rather clever. Your initials and short form of your part, without revealing much. Suits you.” He says, making my eyes widen with each word. He just complimented both Merrit and I. Well, damn. How did this just happen? I snap out of my daze and realize I am standing frozen, looking at my computer screen, my fingers still on the keyboard.  
  
„Yeah, I like it too. I wonder what Jack will say of it.” I reply. It’s like I have a twin bond with the guy, really. Very Fred-George-ish. I'll have to ask him when's his birthday. We speak in sync a lot more than we should and now apparently I know when he’s around. Yes, he just entered the flat.  
  
About the others. Henley is like the older sister I never had. Merrit’s like the uncle that’s super douchy and sexist with everyone else and very loving-uncle-y with you. Is that a thing? Has to be. Daniel is- He is. I have no idea what he is. He’s a friend, that’s obvious. He’s annoyingly confusing, for starters. And finishing touches. And everything in between. It’s like he’s bipolar.  
  
„I got the food, people!” Jack shouts. I save my progress and close my laptop, automatically shutting it down. We all gather around the table and start digging in. After about twenty minutes, we’ve all finished.  
  
„My turn for the washing-up.” Henley says, rising up.  
  
„Let me help.” Daniel offers. Denley is obviously a thing. Or has been. And will probably be. Until they come back from the kitchen, I set the table for planning. Pencils and paper for everyone. Only I have my laptop, too. Hey, a hacker never goes anywhere without the proper tools.  
  
„Okay, time to start.” I say, as the two exit the kitchen and take their seats.  
  
„As I’m sure we all know, the first show will be-” Daniel cuts me off.  
  
„Wait, when did you become project manager?” He asks, which, obviously, makes my eyebrows disappear above my hairline.  
  
„I didn’t. I-” He cuts me off again. Boss will be honestly lucky if this guy lives through the year. I so close to murdering him, and it hasn't been a week.  
  
„Exactly. So why can’t we contribute to the creation of the plan?” He asks, suddenly very smug. I glare at him, then speak.  
  
„I never said you couldn’t. I’m just presenting the situation, because I’m the only one who seemed interested enough. We’re wasting time right now. Can I go on without you getting twitchy?” I ask, looking at him through my glasses.  
  
Oh, didn’t I mention? I’m blind without them. And I can’t stand contacts. My glasses are my personal pride, anyway. They’re ‚Ray-Ban’s. I bought them on a spur-of-the-moment thing, after having watched Matrix the whole weekend. I had to refrain from certain things for a month, but I was okay.  
  
Back on the topic at hand, Daniel didn’t reply. It’s as good as an okay for me.  
  
„As I was saying.” I enunciate, making Atlas glare at me. I send a mocking smile in his direction, then continue. „The first show will be in Vegas, at something I’ve identified as the MGM Grand. What we have to do is rob a bank. A specific one. Crédit Républicain de Paris.” They all raise eyebrows at my French accent. It’s not perfect, but it’s better than what most have. I roll my eyes.  
  
„What we have to figure out is how we’re going to do that and what do we fill the rest of the show with.”  
  
„We obviously have to rob the bank a few days before the show.” Daniel says, thinking about what to do next.  
  
„Not too early, though. Not too late, either. And do we really rob a bank?” I counter.  
  
„Is there any other option?” Henley asks, fiddling with her pencil.  
  
„We could intercept an incoming money shipment.” Merrit suggests.  
  
„Brilliant! But what next?” I say. „Oh, we could replace it with-” I start. I see Daniel trying to cut me off, but I don’t let him this time. I’m in the middle of something.  
  
„Flash paper!” We end up saying, in sync. Next, we do the obvious logical thing. Glare at each other.  
  
„Cool! That’s really smart.” Jack says.  
  
„Why don’t you two get along?” Merrit asks. I look at him as though he’d have a billion extra heads.  
  
„I’m with Merrit. Let’s face it. You’re both control freaks. You’re both pretty clever. If you’d work together, we could definitely pull this off.” I just stare at Henley as she speaks, and Daniel snorts from opposite me. She shakes her head and drops the topic. We go back to planning.  
  
Within a month, we have the whole first show planned out. That’s when we realized we were so knee-deep in planning we didn’t realize we needed to reach out to the benefactor mentioned in the plans. Arthur Tressler.  
  
„What’d she say?” Daniel nervously swings on the balls of his feet, like a little kid. Henley just got off the phone with Tressler’s PA.  
  
„We have a meeting tomorrow before noon!” She is practically glowing with excitement.  
  
„What, all of us?” I ask, a bit shocked. I’m not very good at interviews. Actually, I’m horrible at them.  
  
„All of us.” She confirms.  
  
„Oh.” I manage to squeal. I don’t have anything to wear! I don’t know what to say! I didn’t expect this, God! I didn’t have time to plan it through! I’m horrible at improvising, but let me make a plan and I’m nailing it! Oh, god, am I hyperventilating right now? What the hell? Oh, right, the social anxiety kicking in, probably. Remind me, again, how did I meet and become friends with four people I knew next to nothing of?

Without throwing a fit?  
  
No clue? Me neither. They’re all throwing me weird looks, so I do the logical thing. Smile and shrug it off. That afternoon, I down about four shots of Jack Daniel's. I learn that Jack Wilder is an awesome drinking buddy. Another thing I learn, Jack and I have been probably separated at birth. His birthday is on the 12th of June. Just like mine. Needless to say, by 9 p.m., I’m knocked out.  
  
The next day, Henley is a peach and brings me a hangover cure and helps me pick my outfit. She makes me put on makeup, too. She braids my hair in a formal up-do. I can't seem to get her to allow me to wear my combat boots and fingerless gloves with the outfit. She forces me to put on heels. Hey, at least she allows me to pick my accessories! She sighs when she sees the nerdy ones I choose. Tough, sister.

Then I help her. Not that I know much about fashion. It’s just she can pull anything off. Literally anything. She pops outside and Jack walks in, sitting down beside me.  
  
„Calm down, you won’t have to say anything.” He assures me. He was really worrying over me yesterday, after that near-panic-attack I experienced. „Plus, you look really business-y. You’ll be fine, I’m telling you.” Jack rises, picks me up, too, and hugs me. I just rest my forehead on his shoulder and return the hug.  
  
„Are you sure I can’t get a shot now?” I ask eagerly. I’m a very happy drunk. I’m not the type to ask deep questions or to bitch about my sad life to other people. Nope, I’m a dorky, happy drunk. And last night I got real drunk with Jack and we told the shittiest jokes ever. And it was a blast.  
  
„Yes, I’m sure.” He goes all serious for a moment, then he goes back to being Jack and starts chuckling. I start snickering, too, and it probably looks like we’re drunk again. Hugging and shaking from laughter. Daniel walks in, stares for a brief moment, then scurries out and promptly shuts the door after him. How do I know it was Daniel? His mop of brown hair, duh.  
  
After that, both Jack and I go full-on laughing and I’m hiccuping and stuttering so bad when I’m trying to say how hilarious and scared he acted. I’m holding my stomach from the laughter, aching all over, when Henley and Merrit come in, looking at us questioningly. Jack and I pause for like two seconds, and then we meet each other’s eyes and start laughing again, harder than before.  
  
A couple of minutes later, we exit the room looking disheveled and still slightly giggling. I fix his tie and he clips back one of my stray hairs. I taught him to put the bobby pins to the use they were designed for. We give each other the once overs and then the okays. My face turns blank as I remember what we have to do today.  
  
„Hey. It’ll be alright.” He nudges me. I give him a weak smile and straighten my back.  
  
„Guys! You ready yet?” Henley shouts from the kitchen.  
  
„Come on, let’s go. I’d really love to talk to Daniel about that fast exit.” I tell him.  
  
„He probably thought you were crying and I was comforting you or something.” He suggests as we go to the kitchen,  
  
„There’s only one way to know.” I whisper when we reach the door, my hand on the doorknob.  
  
„Ah! Young love!” Merrit teases. He knows as well as Jack and I do that there’s nothing between the pickpocket and me. He’s just being, well, himself.  
  
„Shut up, Merrit.” I reply.  
  
„Oh, someone’s cranky.” He mutters. I roll my eyes at him.  
  
„Danny’s calling for a cab, he’s in his room.” Henley informs us, ignoring Merrit.  
  
„Great, so-” I start, but the kitchen door opening cuts me off.  
  
„Right, the cab arrives in 7 minutes. We should get down in five, tops.” He says. Looking at me and Jack, he raises an eyebrow. I furrow mine in return and we start something I can only describe as a silent conversation, although I can understand him and he can understand me pretty easily.  
  
‚What the hell was that, earlier?’ I furrow my brows.  
  
‚What the hell were you and Jack doing?’ He widens his eyes, raises an eyebrow and shakes his head in confusion.  
  
‚Nothing.’ I roll my eyes.  
  
„Uh, whatever weird telepathy thing you’re doing, stop now. It’s freaking me out.” Merrit barges in. I see Jack eyeing me curiously and I just shrug.  
  
„We should go, come on. Grab your things.” I urge them to move, flailing my arms around to get their attention.  
  
We get to Tressler and enter the meeting. I have very little to say; at one point, he asks me what role I have in all of this and I tell him. He looks a bit surprised and offers the Horsemen his own tech team, but they politely decline, saying they don’t like to work with strangers. Which is, of course, a complete lie, but what they say completely boosts my mood. Great, now I’m starting to feel bad for lying to them. But I have to. Urghh.  
  
Of course, Tressler takes us in and agrees to finance our shows. We present to him our plans for the first show, making them all seem like tricks, not an actual heist. I talk very little, thankfully, and we’re soon out of his office and headed home.  
  
Once there, we all agree to take the day off and head to the closest pub for a night out. I create a casual look and wipe the makeup from my face, letting my hair down, too. I give Henley the okay -she looks obviously stunning- and she gives me mine. I’m actually down for a night out, for the first time in my life.  
  
„Looking neat as always, girls.” Merrit compliments. I give him a smile and loop my arm with his.  
  
„Why, thank you, kind sir.” I say, chuckling. „So, we’ve managed to conquer Tressler. That’s two things off the bucket list.”  
  
„Yeah, thank God.” Jack pipes in.  
  
„I expect we’ll take another month to plan our second show. What do you think, T.J.?” Henley asks me. Yeah, T.J. became a thing. Officially.  
  
„I was thinking something like that, yeah.” I confirm.  
  
„Shouldn’t it take less time? Now that we know what we’re doing?” Atlas asks. For once, we’re actually having a normal conversation. Not arguing, bickering, getting on each other’s nerves. It’s nice.  
  
„I’d say not. We have some extra variables.” I point out. He seems to silently agree.  
  
„What variables?” Jack barges in. Somewhere along the way I separated from Merrit and I got in between Daniel and Jack. That sounds dangerously much like Jack Daniel’s. Oh lord, I’m totally calling them like that from now on. Whenever they’re bickering like an old couple, I’ll throw their ship name in and shout fandom-y things.  
  
„The FBI.” I answer almost nonchalantly. „Of which we should talk in any other night. Come on, let’s have some fun.” I drag out the last word, putting my hand around both guys’ necks. After I let go, I get the expected chuckle from Jack and glare from Daniel. I let the squad go ahead and I fall a little behind with the supposed ringleader.  
  
„Why don’t you chill out a bit?” I ask, trying not to sound sarcastic.  
  
„What do you mean?” He asks, sounding suspicious.  
  
„No need to go all defensive. I meant, relax. It’s the one night when you can, just, chill. I’m assuming most things from now on will be tense and nerve-wrecking.” I answer him softly. He looks at me and sighs.  
  
„I guess you’re right.” He admits.  
  
„Aren’t I always right?” I laugh, nudging him a bit. He actually, genuinely smiles in return. This night is officially an achievement and it didn’t even start yet.  
  
„I decided, a few days ago, to give you another shot.” I try to continue the conversation.  
  
„Another shot? At what?” He seems surprised.  
  
„At a first impression. We started off the, well, very wrong foot.” I tell him. I get absolutely zero reaction from him. „You’re telling me you really want to spend the whole next year bickering with me on who can be more of a control freak? I put up a very good fight, you know.” I add jokingly, but he sighs again, his features softening.  
  
„No, I- I don’t.” He admits.  
  
„Good. Neither do I. So, let’s start off new. Rewind to a month ago.” I suggest.  
  
„Agree.” He says, and we stop outside, as the rest of the squad enters the pub.  
  
„Hi.” The magician starts. „I’m J. Daniel Atlas.” I chuckle at his understanding of ‚starting off new’, but I play along, extending my hand.  
  
„Hello. Tanya Jones. You can call me T.J. Pleasure.” He shakes it. „What should I call you?” I ask, both serious and joking. I never asked him what I should call him.  
  
„You’re pretty good at finding nicknames, I’ve heard.” He answers. That’s true, I’ve been nicknaming everyone since, well, ever. I didn’t do it with him because I was afraid of pissing off a control-freak-borderline-sociopath. „Find me one.” He concludes.  
  
I think for a moment, going by the approach Merrit went with my fake name. J. D. A. are his initials; that sounds wrong. What if I rearrange? D.A.J. no; J.A.D. sounds interesting. I can easily turn it into Jade. He looks like a Jade, I think, looking back into his eyes. His blue jade eyes. I narrow my own and hold my stare through my glasses.  
  
„Jade.” I whisper.  
  
„What?” He asks, coming closer to hear. I clear my throat, blink, and then speak up.  
  
„Jade.” I say, louder. „That’s my nickname for you.” He mulls it over for a few seconds.  
  
„I like it.” He says, smiling at me. I give him a smile back, then look back up at his eyes. It astounds me how I’ve never really noticed how amazing they look like. Generally, the first thing I notice about someone is their eyes. And, might I say, he has really, really nice eyes.


	4. Chapter 4

„You alright there?” Jack’s voice is heard. We both turn to him. I nod in his direction.  
  
„On our way.” I tell him. „Come on, let’s enter.” We do, and he keeps the door open for me. That feels real nice, you know. We both go to the rest of the squad, who already went through one shot each until we arrived. Merrit is currently trying to ‚woo’ Henley, and Jack laughs his ass off just by watching them interact.  
  
„How can they get hammered after one shot is beyond me.” Daniel -Jade, I have to start calling him Jade- says.  
  
„They’re not. They’re just faking it, for a little fun.” I say, smiling softly in their direction.  
  
„So drinking’s fun, eh?” He teases, making me roll my eyes.  
  
„No, hanging out with friends is fun.” I manage to turn his words, sending him a sweet smile.  
  
„Oh. Alright then, Sherlock, first round’s on me.” He says, leading me to the bar. He buys me a tequila and I quickly down it, following the sacred ritual. I finish a bit later than he does his, but he didn’t get tequila. So he didn’t have to respect the salt-lemon tradition.  
  
„What did happen the other night, though?” He continues our silent conversation from the flat. Just, out loud now. I fiddle with the shot glass, before answering him.  
  
„Well, that was almost a panic attack. I don’t know how, but I managed to keep it in.” I admit. „I have quite severe social anxiety, and today's meeting was very not planned and, just, I don’t know. It wasn’t cool. I wasn’t expecting to have to come with.” I finish. He nods, and opens his mouth to ask something else.  
  
„And earlier today, with Jack? Are you two, you know, fonduing?” He didn’t! My mouth hangs open at his Captain America: The First Avenger reference. And he calls me a nerd!  
  
„You didn’t!” I manage to say. He shoots me an innocent look.  
  
„Didn’t what? Suggested you and Jack are an item or referenced a comic movie?” Just now do I realize that he actually insinuated Jack and I are dating, so I poke his shoulder. That should do it.  
  
„Both! One: I’m not dating Jack, that's just ew. Two: You’re such a complete nerd!” I finish my thought process, making him smile. „And a douche, too, but nothing new there.” He playfully glares at me. I made him fake-glare. Damn, son. This evening is cool.  
  
„Alright, alright.” He admits. He looks like he’s going to say something else, but then Merrit shows up and orders three shots.  
  
„We should probably head back there to babysit ’em.” I reason, looking at Merrit trying to hold three shot glasses. He nods and we start to go back; I take a glass from Merrit and help him back. When I turn to say something to Dan- Jade, I see he’s being ambushed by a woman. Oh, well. He’s probably going to have some sort of fun.  
  
There’s this inexplicable feeling in my chest, and I don’t wanna think about it. So I do what any other rational person would do. Drink my liver out.  
  
The second day, I wake up with a splitting headache and no memories in a bed that doesn’t smell like mine. So, naturally, having lived as a fugitive some years ago, my instincts and adrenaline kick in and I’m up in two seconds. And I’m not a morning person.  
  
It’s just Jack. Just the general feeling of being hungover, for the second day in a row. I roll out of bed and straight into shower, locking the door behind me. After I finish, I change into my bathrobe and try not to die from the sound of my breathing. My very, very loud breathing.  
  
I go into the kitchen and start making coffee, to soothe my pulsing brain. Not before I down about two liters of water, though. I’m a girl who knows her priorities. Sometime in the middle of my making coffee, the front door opens with a sound that’s too loud for me to bear at this late hour. I wait until the person gets into my visual radius, and I recognize him as Da- Jade. Jade? Oh, that’s right! Last night, he ditched us for some redhead.  
  
„Morning, T.J.” He greets. More like shouts, really. My ears immediately start ringing.  
  
„Shh. Stop screaming.” I whisper, swatting my hand at the air. „Good morning, Jade. Wait until I drink my coffee if you want me coherent.” I mumble. I hope he heard me. If he didn’t, too bad.  
  
I take the coffee with some ibuprofen, and soon, I’m almost as fresh as a daisy. I grab the remaining blueberries and munch on them, hearing Jade in the shower. By the time he’s finished, I am 90% sobered up. He comes out in his own normal, boring looking bathrobe and looks at me weirdly.  
  
„What?” I inquire.  
  
„I take it you’ve had your coffee.” He says. I put my mug back on the counter and nod.  
  
„Do you want one? I’ve made for two.” I tell him. He gives me an ‚obviously’ look and I roll my eyes. My attitude is very seriously rubbing off on all of them. I pour him a cup, glancing up when I hear a door opening. Jack’s on his way to the bathroom. Soon, they all wake up, and Henley gives us the miracle hangover cure. After breakfast, there’s a chill 30 minutes window where we recover from hangover.  
  
„So, last night was fun.” Jack chuckles.  
  
„Mmmm.” Merrit agrees. Lately, I’ve gotten into calling him McKay –SG Atlantis reference right there- with his last name being McKinney and all.  
  
„Danny, where did you go last night?” Henley asks the question that’s also on the tip of my tongue.  
  
„Uh, I um, I- Well, I-” He’s stuttering like an idiot over his loss of words, so I decide to cut him off and release him from his pain.  
  
„Hanging out with a redhead.” I say, a weird, unrecognizable note in my voice. That unleashed a chain reaction. Jade chokes on air, Jack starts laughing, Merrit rises from his place on the sofa and Henley stares with her mouth open, looking a bit amused. All this, while I’m innocently sipping on my second cup of coffee. I love these fellows. We’re a peculiar, but lovable squad.  
  
„Wait, so you ditched us for a chick? Oh, Danny, this is so you.” Henley shakes her head, making me smirk at her.  
  
„Yeah, we, uh- we really feel the love, man.” Merrit pipes in. I chuckle over my coffee and, after a few more sarcastic lines, we manage to go on with our day. During the next week, we’ve started planning the second show and I started working on the algorithms and programs for the first one. I have to admit I’ve been acting a bit more reserved towards Jade. I honestly don’t know why. That is, until he enters my room while I’m working on some neat programs.  
  
„Hey.” He says softly, making me look up.  
  
„Hi. Can I help you?” I tilt my head.  
  
„Uh... Yeah, I guess.” He starts, making me raise my eyebrows and motion him to go on. „I brought you a make-up gift.” He finishes, making me smile in surprise.  
  
„A make-up gift? What for?”  
  
„I couldn’t help but noticing the cold attitude you keep towards me in the last week and I wanted to say that if I-” He rambles, but I soon catch on to it.  
  
„Henley sent you.” I deadpan.  
  
„Yeah.” He admits, with a sigh. Henley asked me a few days ago why am I acting so weird about Daniel and I told her the truth, that I don’t know. Never in a million years had I thought she’d go to the man himself.  
  
„She thinks you’re upset with me over what happened a week ago.” He snaps me out of my thoughts.  
  
„What, the redhead incident?” I ask.  
  
„Yeah, that one. Listen, I-” I cut him off, putting my hand up. He comes near me, and I sigh.  
  
„Jade, here’s the deal. I don’t care that you hooked up with some random girl, okay?” He looks surprised at my words, so I go on. „If that’s your idea of fun, then, fine. It’s not my place to agree or disagree with your methods of letting off steam. Truth is, I’ve no idea why I’ve been acting differently all week.” He smirks and opens his mouth to say something, but I cut him off again.  
  
„And don’t you dare say P.M.S., mister!” He chuckles, and I smile too. This feels good, getting along with him again.  
  
„I wasn’t going to.” He tries.  
  
„You totally were.” I say.  
  
„Wasn’t!”  
  
„Was!”  
  
„Was definitely not!”  
  
„Am I interrupting something?” Henley enters the room. I chuckle at her question.  
  
„Our kindergarten banter, yeah. Other than that, nope. You’re cool.” She smiles at me.  
  
„So are you two good, now?” She asks us. Jade looks at me and I nod.  
  
„Yeah, we’re good.” That’s when I widen my eyes, realizing I missed something. I grab a pillow within arm’s reach, and I hit Jade with it.  
  
„Wait, no, we’re not!” Henley laughs while she leaves the room with a pen and notebook.  
  
„Ow. What now?” He whines, making me roll my eyes.  
  
„My gift! I’m not going to let you walk out alive after you told me I have a gift! Not without giving it to me, that is.”  
  
„Oh, right. I completely forgot.” He says. „Here.” He gives me a packet of playing cards. I look at him curiously. When I was a kid, around 15, I learned a few flourishes and cuts, but I never had my very own pack. I’ve been secretly wishing for one since forever.  
  
„That’s so nice of you! I love it, thank you!” I tell him, taking the gift from his hands. „I’ve been wanting one since always.”  
  
„Really? You never had a deck?” I nod my head in negation, nervously tugging at my fingerless gloves. I’m seriously wearing them everywhere.  
  
„No, but I know some cuts. Pretty lame ones, but they work.” I say. He motions for me to exemplify, and I get the cards out. They’re gorgeous. I shuffle them a bit, to get used to them. Then, I make an attempt on the Sybil cut. Of course, I fail the first time, but the next one, I pretty much nail it. Then, I make a one-handed fan and a card spring.  
  
„That’s all I got.” I shrug.  
  
„It’s pretty impressive.” He tries to compliment. Really tries. Sadly, I can clearly say he doesn’t mean it.  
  
„Liar. It was pathetic.” I retort.  
  
„Okay, true, it was.” He admits, making me roll my eyes. „I could teach you, though. If you want to learn, that is.” I ponder his suggestion.  
  
„I’d love it, Jade.” I smile at him.  
  
„Really?” He seems really surprised.  
  
„Really.” I confirm, nodding.  
  
During the next two months, we have the whole shows planned out. Everyone knows what they have to do. I let them decide what tricks to perform, they just tell me what I have to do. Another month and a half, and I have most of the programs written. During all this time, Jade teaches me different flourishes and cuts. At some time, he asks me why I wear gloves all the time. I honestly don’t know what to answer him. I wear ’em ’cause I love ’em.  
  
Around that time is when Christmas strikes. I have to call Boss and ask for him a bit more money. He agrees, probably already knowing what I plan to do with them. I should probably mention something by now: the Horsemen can’t ever know who I’m talking to. And for a simple reason: I’m using a secured line.  
  
I made sure that even if they try to listen in, all they hear is a conversation with my mum, or my best friend, or some relative or random friend. All of them being previously recorded, obviously. I don’t know who my mum is, and my best friends at the time are the Horsemen and Li. Damn, I miss him.  
  
If you’re wondering how we’ve been making money during all these months, the answer is really simple. The Horsemen have been doing what they do best: street performing. And I had to fall back into my credit-card-scams glory days. Of course, the others know about this. It was their idea, actually. We don’t get enough money to live off just from their performances.  
  
Coming back to the Christmas part, I make sure everyone has a gift. I tell them I need to take a day off from the whole madness that is planning, and I go to the shops. I buy Henley a beautiful pair of dark navy leather gloves and a beautiful white shirt. I get McKay a district 12 necklace and a Haymitch t-shirt, just because he got my Hunger Games reference back then. I got Jade a Captain America tie clip, just for the heck of it, and a green jade necklace.  
  
Finally, I buy Jack a par of friendship necklaces; I make a mental note to write on the bottom of the pack a threat if the doesn’t offer one to me. Another gift for Jack is a set of three Jack Daniel’s shot glasses, as a throwback to our first drunken experience together. And a cool moment of bonding. Just before leaving, I remember something, and go buy some bobby pins.  
  
I take the bobby pins and the shot glasses to this small shop where you can personalize your gifts. I ask the nice lady from the shop to imprint some text on them. On the first one: ‚Which reminds me’; on the second one: ‚do you have’; and on the third one: ‚a bobby pin?’. As an even bigger #tbt, duh. The first ever thing I said to him. Oh, and the shot glasses will have bobby pins glued to them, obviously. On the bit that doesn’t have the writing.  
  
A few days later, I go and pick them up. In another couple of days, Christmas is upon us. Well, Christmas’ Eve. On the day before that, I created a Christmasy playlist, 20 hours long. Of course I did. I also make everyone Butterbeer Lattes, on the Christmas Eve morning. And, of course, I spike mine with some scotch. It’s better like that, anyway. I pour a bit of scotch in Jack’s drink, too. He sends me a grateful smile when he senses it.  
  
On that day, we all take a break from our duties and spend some quality time with each other. That translates as: we’re on the couch, binge watching movies. Any kind of movies. I managed to add The Avengers in the mix, and nobody minded. Another thing we do is put up decorations. Not a tree, we decided against buying one. No, cute stuff like lights and garlands.  
  
After everyone goes to bed, I check the security cameras (yes, we have multiple ones installed, in case someone from the FBI will want to raid our apartments after one of our shows; and guess who’s someone who can access them? Of course it’s me.) and I see no one’s wandering about the living room. I get all of my neatly packed presents and walk outside with them.  
  
Remember how I told you Henley’s sharing with me? Yeah, I had to bribe her into not telling everyone I got them gifts. She bought gifts too, you know. Nothing could convince me into confessing what I got her, though. Hehe. In the second I’m done ‚hiding’ my gifts, I hear a door opening. Darn! I glance to see the person who got me busted.  
  
Of course it’s Merrit. Who else? He has a handful of presents, himself, and he looks shocked to see me here.  
  
‚Awwww, that’s so cute!’ I mouth to the mentalist, pointing to his gifts. Hopefully, he understands.  
  
‚Why are you here?’ He mouths back.  
  
‚Hiding gifts.’ I try.  
  
‚What?’ He mouths back.  
  
‚Hiding gifts.’ I try again.  
  
‚What?’ He’s still confused, and he looks like he’s going to drop something soon. I widen my eyes in worry.  
  
„Hiding gifts! Watch it!” I whisper super shushed, and point at the dangerously angled present from his arms. He rearranges it and gives me a thanking nod. I smile at him, give him a full thumbs up, then go back into the bedroom.There, I find Henley laughing her stomach off, on my bed. In front of my laptop.  
  
„You little stalker!” I hiss, making her laugh even more.  
  
„You’re one to –hic- speak –hic.” She hiccups in between seizures of laughter.  
  
„I guess we looked really funny, didn’t we?” I admit. She shows me the recording. I roll my eyes at her childish behavior. „Come on, it wasn’t that big of a deal.”  
  
„Keep telling yourself that.” She says. „’Ey, look, Danny’s out of his room.” She nudges me.  
  
„What, no! What’s he doing?!” I rush to her, snatching my laptop from her. „Oh, he has gifts, too. Awww, that’s nice.” I notice.  
  
„Unexpected.” Henley retorts.  
  
„But nice.” I finish for her, going to sit on my bed, near Henley, so the both of us can watch. When I say watch, it’s really more of creepily stalking. Eh, same thing.  
  
„He nearly fell off!” Henley remarks, after Jade trips over one of Merrit’s gifts.  
  
„Luckily, it didn’t make much noise.” I notice. We didn’t hear a thing.  
  
After the coast is clear, Henley goes and spreads her gifts throughout the house, occasionally poking her tongue at the camera. This girl. What would I do without this girl?! Soon, she comes back and we bid each other goodnight, having decided not to wait and see if Jack shows up.  
  
The next morning, I get up really early, put on a sweater, some fluffy slippers and start making coffee for everyone. As soon as I’m done, the one to pop out of his bedroom is Jack. By this point, I’m 80% sure we have a telepathic bond.  
  
„Merry Christmas!” I greet. He gives me a tired grunt in return, something along the lines of ‚Mry Mmas’, making me chuckle. „Here, have a mug.” I offer.  
  
„Lord, you’re a saint.” He answers, after he downs over a half of the coffee.  
  
„I try.” I say in a fake-touched voice, my hand on my chest. I sniffle and pretend to dry my proud tears. That’s when Jade shows up. After about six months of living together, you get used to someone’s bed hair. Mine is long enough for me to be able to put it in a bun, otherwise I’d totally freak everyone out with my failed Merida hairstyle. Jade’s hair isn’t far behind.

It’s poking in literally every direction. He looks like a hobbit. That’s why I’m calling it hobbit hair. Dan Howell’s pre-straightening hair is slightly superior, but that’s understandable. That guy slays his hobbit hair.  
  
„Merry Christmas, Jade.” I smile at him. The others, surprisingly, didn’t give me a hard time when they first heard me calling him by that. Yay, me.  
  
„Merry Christmas, T.J., Jack. Is anyone else up?” He asks.  
  
„Merry Christmas, man. No, we’re the only early birds.” Jack says. That’s when McKay decides to jump out of his hideout.  
  
„There aren’t any worms for breakfast, I hope.” He says. I hand him a mug, smirking.  
  
„Thanks, T.J. Merry Christmas, everyone.” McKay greets.  
  
„Merry Christmas!” We say in sync, with different degrees of hypeness.  
  
„Is no one going to mention the explosion of gifts that’s in here?” Jade asks, making me snicker. It really is a mess here.  
  
„Nah.” Jack casually leans over the counter.  
  
„Not until Henley wakes up.” I jump on it, near Jack.  
  
„Did I hear my name?” A sleepy Henley exits our shared bedroom.  
  
„Yes, you’re late.” Jade states, making me roll my eyes.  
  
„Great, we can start now! Sister Hen, sober up with some coffee. And let’s start gift hunting!” I clap my hands. Henley snatches the mug of coffee from my hands and downs it all. I fake-pout, but when Jack comes and hugs-tickles me, I get off the counter and run to a random gift. I see Merrit’s name scribbled on it.  
  
„McKay! Catch.” He does, and unwraps it in literally one second. I laugh at his inner child and look for more gifts. This morning gives me total bestie squad vibes. It’s just so chilled out. After about half an hour, I find another pack with my name on it, in Jade’s handwriting. I tear the wrap into oblivion and see a small box with the Marvel logo. I open it and gasp, seeing a beautiful pair of Captain America earrings.  
  
„Jade!” I call. My ears detect someone calling my name just as I speak, but only after I turn to the room I realize who. Him. Daniel.  
  
„T.J!” He beckons, in sync with me. He looks at me, realizing I called his name too. He lifts the tie clip I bought him and gives me a genuine smile.  
  
I lift the earrings in their case and return the smile. I’m pretty sure mine is lopsided, but what the heck. The other three stare between us, confused. That’s right, the Captain America thing is an inside joke. For the first time ever, I don’t feel like explaining it. I feel my ear tips blushing a bit. Yeah, I start blushing from my ears.  
  
„I ship it.” Henley coughs, making me snort and Daniel roll his eyes. Jack and Merrit start snickering, and I poke Jack, just ’cause he’s the closest.  
  
We all go back to our previous looking and unwrapping, but I think I feel my cheeks reddening, too. Half an hour later, all the packs are found, the paper scattered literally everywhere. Jack seems to have found the friendship necklaces from me, just in the end. He comes in front of me, still reading the note on the back, then he looks back at me, confused.  
  
„Of course you’re having the other one.” He hands me a part of the elven leaf. „How could I give it to anyone else?” He smirks, giving me a side hug. I beam at him, and ask me to help put my necklace on. He does, and I help him with his.  
  
We do this high five-fist bump thing we invented. It goes like this. He stretches his palm, as if trying to high five, and I fist bump his palm; then, I keep my palm open, and he fist bumps me. The funny thing is, it all started from a mistake, and we just rolled with it. And now it’s a thing.  
  
Alright, Christmas haul. This is what I got: a beautiful green summer dress and some pretty cool NARS nail polish from Henley; a Mockingjay pin and a box of Ferrero Rocher chocolates from Merrit; I didn’t think he’d remember I said they are my absolute favorites! And he got me a pin, I’m really glad I got him the Hunger Games themes gifts now!  
  
Then, from Jack I got a Jack Daniel’s bottle -apparently, I’m not the only who thought of throwback gifts- and an awesomely nerdy USB flash drive, with the one and only Mark XLII helmet! He knows Iron Man is my all-time favorite Avenger. I could seriously kiss him right now. But I won’t. Cause it’d be weird.  
  
At last, from Jade I got that beautiful set of earrings I put on right away, and two really cool pairs of fingerless gloves: a short one, and a longer one. My older ones were basically falling apart, so these ones are very welcomed. And the short ones match my flippers! I thank everyone for their awesome gifts and the days goes on normally.  
  
The next few months are spent rehearsing, making sure the timing is perfect and that every trick goes smoothly. I work on my algorithms, to make sure they’re not twitchy anywhere. I’m going over every little detail, tinkering here and there.  
  
A month and a half before the set date of our first show, the stress is clearly taking its toll on everyone. Arguments spring out of literally nowhere. I’m almost constantly fighting with Jade, and so are Merrit and Henley. Jack tries to stand up for me sometimes, but mostly it’s just mindless arguing, born out of sheer pressure.  
  
Just a few weeks before the first show, we have to go to Paris to actually steal the money. The shipment we tracked down is the safest until the show: it’s the closest one that has meh security. We board the plane. I soon learn Jack gets a bit nervous at the take-off. I actually have to hold his hand through it, but hey, we all have our weaknesses. For example, I’m terrified of dogs. And they’re much less dangerous than an airplane.  
  
After eight hours of boredom, we land without much fret on Charles de Gaulle. I say boredom not because I didn’t plan in advance or anything; I did. I took books and stuff with me, I just got bored of all of them after an hour.

We get off the plane and I have to talk my way through everywhere, because the rest know next to nothing of the french language.  
  
„How did you learn french? And why?” Jade asks, coming near me.  
  
„Alone, I’m self-taught. And because I wanted to.” I reply.  
  
„Okay, but how did you get so good at vocabulary? And the accent?” He seems really confused.  
  
„Books and movies.” I answer his third and fourth question. „Je suis très désolé. (I’m very sorry.)” I mutter after bumping into someone, and receiving some nasty French curses. „Look, do we have to do this now? We’re kind of on the clock here.”  
  
We continue bickering until we reach the hotel. Once we’re there, we each go to our rooms, setting the hour for the meeting. Needless to say, since there were at least three hours until then, I go for a stroll in the City of Lights. Well, I go to the Eiffel Tower. And eat a bunch a crap, too. You name it, the french have everything.  
  
When it’s almost time, I go back inside and change into an all-black outfit, adding my half of a necklace to it, and pulling my hair up and stuffing in into a beanie. I meet up with the guys and soon, the plan is on the move. Seeing this is the first actual stunt I’m pulling off with them, I think it’s safe to say I’m nervous.  
  
When the money shipment is loading, Daniel and I are already in. I agreed to come with because I have quite some experience in field work, so it was the obvious thing to do. The moment they put the money on the metal-thingy above us, I can feel the pressure of the millions of euros above us. Not just theoretically. They’re probably goddamn heavy. I make sure to keep my breathing as shallow as possible.  
  
A lot of bumps later, the truck stops, and the security guard that’s inside, with the money and us, gets up to check. My cue. I literally stab him with the syringe and force the anesthetic in his system, knocking him out. After that, I try (and fail) to get the money off of us, but when Jade swoops in, we manage.  
  
„’Bout damn time.” I mutter, as Jack, Henley and Merrit open the back doors of the van. We stuff the money in the duffel bags and replace it with the flash paper that is already in them.  
  
Then, we go back to the hotel and I just go up into my room and sleep. Why? Because I’m bloody tired, that’s why. The last thought that crosses my mind is that my combat boots are really muddy, and that I probably shouldn't have just fallen asleep like that. Too bad.  
  
The next day, we start the week-long process to convince the target to come to our show. This target, Étienne Forcier, is a client –wealthy one, at that- of the bank we’ve just robbed. Well, was a client. He got crossed over. Which makes him the perfect target.  
  
I see him scurrying down the stairs we’re next to.  
  
„McKay, you’re up.” I nudge him. He goes for it, and then it’s Jade’s turn. The next one up is Henley, but she’ll only go once. She has to gets his measurements for the useless helmet thing we’ll use. Then, it’s Jack and me. We have to act like we just returned from Vegas. Since Jack’s accent is rubbish, I’ll be the one to talk.  
  
„Je te dis! Vegas est le plus imposant ville! Je m’engage! (I’m telling you! Vegas is the coolest city! I swear!)” He just nods furiously as Étienne passes us. That should do it. Let’s get ready with doing this for another week.  
  
Needless to say, the week goes on uneventful. I make sure to hack into his phone and place an ad about Vegas somewhere there. Just once, otherwise it’d be annoying and he wouldn’t want to go. After we’re done, I have to say goodbye to Paris. As the last bit of the wonderful city disappears from my sight, on the airplane, Adieu Mon Coeur by Edith Piaf is on repeat in my brain. Paris will always hold a special place in my heart.  
  
I’ll sure as hell miss this city.


	5. Chapter Four

Warning: major NYSM2 spoilers. As in, the whole plot is sort of revealed here.

Two weeks later (just a week before the first show), the nerve-wrecking constant bickering is too much to bear, so I do my thing. Going to the gym. It really helps me release extra energy. I think I went to the gym on a fat total of three times during the last year. A disappointing amount, I know.  
  
„Where were you? I was worried sick.” Jack comes and hugs me in the damned second I walk through the front door. I might have just up and left about three hours ago. I took a backpack with a change of clean clothes, my wallet, phone and left the flat. I drop my backpack and hug him back, hiding my face in his shoulder.  
  
„I’ve been calling you like a madman. We all did.” He mutters in my hair. Yeah, I kinda ignored their phone calls.  
  
„You silly things. I didn’t take my laptop with me. That should have told you I’m not planning on ditching you.” I say, my voice coming out muffled.  
  
„T.J.! You scared the bonkers out of us! What were you thinking?” I hear Henley’s shrill voice. I let go of Jack and turn to face her, seeing Merrit hot on her heels.  
  
„I needed a break, that’s all.” I sigh, knowing that won’t do the trick.  
  
„A break? A BREAK?! Do you have any idea how worried we were? You just-” She starts ranting and I might tune out a bit, only to snap right back when I hear McKay’s voice.  
  
„Hey, let her be. She’s back, she’s in one piece. That’s all that matters.” I flash him a smile.  
  
„T.J.?” I hear Jade’s voice. I give him an acknowledging nod. He’s still one of the main reasons I left. He’s really getting on my nerves lately. That, and he’s been going on about his tracking bracelets in the last few weeks.  
  
When I tried to reason with him and explain that just as easily as he can trace the team, the FBI can trace him, you know what he did? He accused me of going and helping the bloody police forces. Yeah, he’s that much of an idiot. As soon as I found out, I called Boss. He told me to handle it, no matter the cost. The Four Horsemen couldn’t get caught.  
  
The only problem is, Jade never allowed me to see the tracker. I tried to find it in the flat, but I can’t. I don’t know what frequency it uses, I don’t know the tech. And he keeps it hidden, too. I was going to make the signal trace back to my phone or laptop, but I can’t. This means I only have one option viable after the second show.  
  
I have to nick the tracker from Jade, and replace it with something to reassure them that I didn’t go and find the FBI. That is, if something goes wrong and I don’t make it to the rendezvous point. If everything ends up okay, I’ll take my planted item back and no damage will be done. But I get a feeling we won’t be so lucky.  
  
„Are you done acting like a moody teenager, then? Great.” Jade’s sarcastic voice snaps me out of my thoughts. It’s not like I expected a warm, fuzzy welcome, anyway.  
  
„Oh, like you’re acting very much differently.” I quip. He opens his mouth to say something, but I cut him off.  
  
„What’s that? Right, sorry, I forgot. You’re not acting, you’re just threatening.” I finish, an eyebrow raised.  
  
„Oh, so just because I’m not leaving the first time the going gets tough, that means I’m-” He starts, but I can’t stand being spoken to in this way.  
  
„Are you kidding me? I didn’t bloody leave, Atlas.” My using his last name seems to throw him out of balance. I haven’t been so pissed at him in weeks. Usually, I just call him Daniel if I’m mad. Too bad, buddy.  
  
„I went for a breather because I couldn’t take your bitchy, whiny, control freak attitude! You may be the smartest person in the room, but you sure as hell ain’t the one I’m answering to!”  
  
„Who are you answering to, then? Huh?” He comes in closer, trying to tower over me. Well, that ain’t gonna happen, chump. I may be an inch shorter than he is, but I can hold my ground.  
  
„My bloody good self.” I snap in his face, glaring, then retreat to mine and Henley’s bedroom, slamming the doors in the process. If I stayed, I probably would have started punching him. Shortly after I had stuffed my face in the pillow, I hear the door open.  
  
„If you’re Atlas, leave, or I’ll choke you.” I mutter.  
  
„Now is that any way of welcoming friends?” I hear Merrit’s voice.  
  
„Oh, Kay, it’s you.” I realize, lifting myself up.  
  
„Okay or oh, insert nickname?” He smirks.  
  
„Second one, duh. Why’re you here?”  
  
„Just curious as to where you skipped off three hours.” He shrugs.  
  
„Ah. I hit the gym. Needed an escape from all of this.” I confess.  
  
„Completely understandable. D’you wanna have a movie night?” He asks me. Before we went to Paris, we had these movie nights, where we bundled up on the couch, ate a bunch of crap, and watched movies or TV shows.  
  
„Who’s down for it?” I ask.  
  
„Not Atlas, probably. I’m sure Wilder and Henley would love the idea, though.”  
  
„Yeah, okay, I’m convinced. But we’re having vanilla ice-cream and Nutella, right?” I give in to the tempting idea.  
  
„Naturally.” He says all officially, making me smile. „9 P.M. on the couch, got it?”  
  
„Yes, sir.” I salute, and he leaves my room. I open my laptop, to decide what to do with Daniel’s tracker, when Henley comes in.  
  
„’Ey, sis.” She greets sheepishly.  
  
„Well, howdy there, Sister Hen.” I smile at her.  
  
„Look, I’m sorry for earlier, I was just really worried, and I-” I cut her rambling off.  
  
„I know. Thank you. It means the world to me, no one ever cared so much about me.” She looks at me confused.  
  
„Your parents?” She asks, dumbfounded.  
  
„We didn’t have the brightest of relationships. But I’m cool. Anyway, is there any reason for which you’re wearing your shoes?” I ask, hopefully-subtly changing the topic.  
  
„Oh, yeah. Merrit and I are headed to the shops’, to rent some movies.”  
  
„But I can always-” I start.  
  
„I know. We’re going to buy some food, too. You can’t download that, too, can you?” She laughs, making me roll my eyes.  
  
„Buy as much crap as you can.” I say, giving her 20 dollars. „If you spend more for my side, tell me and I’ll pay you back.” I instruct.  
  
„You’re just as much of a control freak as he is, you know. And I wouldn’t be too sure he’s smarter than you.” She gives me a kind smile. I shoo her out, and I hear her leaving with Merrit. Jade leaves after two minutes, too. No idea where. He took his deck of cards with him, so possibly for a street performance.  
  
I sneak into Jack’s room, only to find him asleep. It’s only 5 P.M., what’s he doing sleeping? I am literally one second from jumping on his bed, when I realize this is the perfect moment to go on with my plan. I sneak back into my room, making sure I don’t wake him in the process. I access the security camera in his room and decide on making regular checks on him. I bring forward a new definition of stalker, yes.  
  
When I’m sure the coast is clear, I start mapping out my plan. I might as well replace the device he has with my phone, cause that has the approximate same weight and he won’t catch on to it, until it’s too late. It’s also quite easy to hack into; once I’ve disabled my security, that is. I can maybe leave them a video footage, explaining them my actions.  
  
If I anticipate correctly, and I usually do, the scenarios in which they get stuck with the phone are the following: I get new instructions from Boss, I’m captured, or I’m dead. Hopefully not the last two. Anyway, I’ll have to make sure that not just about anyone can find his or hers way into my phone. Oh, I know! I’ll leave them a four-digit code, that’ll allow them to listen in to the conversations on the secured line I have, only for an amount of time I determine myself. Then, I’ll call Boss from a payphone or something, allowing them to easily find and listen in on the call. Henley’s hacking skills are decent, so she should manage.  
  
After that, I’ll mention the password for my phone (I’ll create today or tomorrow a defense system; if more than two passwords are tried, the phone wipes itself) to them, and they should be able to get into it. After that, they’ll receive a video of me explaining everything to them: why they just heard me talking to Bradley -who’ll be onto them by then, if he informed me correctly-, why I left, fixing the rendezvous points, and further instructions.  
  
Okay, now I have to film the thing. My laptop’s front camera isn’t the best one, but it’ll do. I think over my words, making a quick draft in Notepad, too, and check on Jack. He's still asleep, and Merrit and Henley shouldn’t return in under half an hour. I crack my bones (the same drill I told you of before), and I start the camera, looking straight into it.  
  
„Alright, so I know you have questions and doubts by this point. Let me clear things up. No, I’m not working for Bradley, I’m leading him away from you. I convinced him that I have a good reason to hold a grudge on you, and he bought it. Personal history, something tells me. Anyway, if you don’t take my word for it, think of it this way. Why would I leave the hint in the telephone conversation, ’ey?” I raise my eyebrow.  
  
„I knew only you would get it, after Henley gave me that lecture of birthdays being really important. Oh, not to mention the fact you would have never gotten into my phone if I wouldn’t have taken all the firewalls down.” The plan is to set the password as my birthday (month and day), something I’d never do, it’s too dumb and sentimental.  
  
„Plus, if I’d’ve wanted to, the FBI would have already gotten to you. You know how far my skills go.” I sigh.  
  
„I hope that clears the matter up. Now, as to why I zoomed off with the tracker? I had to. Daniel would’ve unintentionally lead the FBI straight to us. At least, in this way, I’m hoping to buy you guys some more time. As I’m sure you know, there’s three possible outcomes to this. One: I get away. Two: I’m captured by the FBI. Three, which I hope isn’t going to happen: I’m dead. If I get away with it, I’ll meet you at the safe. If I’m captured, I’ll meet you at one of the rendezvous places around 5 Pointz. If I’m dead, well, I won’t meet you at all.” I say with a nervous laugh.  
  
„Either way, you have to go on with the show. Sure, the special effects and everything else won’t be as good as when I’m around, but they’ll have to do. Complete the plan. Complete the Initiation. Blow their minds, and tell the Eye about your tech girl. Don’t forget about me, alright?” I smile into the camera, then exit the camera application. Woah, I was actually able to shoot it in one go.  
  
Okay, now that that’s cleared, I can start writing the program to do everything. It’ll have to wipe everything from my phone, except for this video. If they don’t mess up the password. If they do, it’ll wipe everything from it. Either way, it’s all about the pass code. I manage to do a quick draft before the squad arrives.  
  
After we’re all in position –in a big bundle on the couch- I put in the movie. It’s the first X-Men. I take my place between Jack and Henley, and stuff my face with Nutella and ice cream. These are the days. Of course, Jade doesn’t come home until the next morning, but at least that means (I hope) he’s less tense.  
  
The remaining days fly by in a blur, during which I’m torn between rehearsing, tinkering at my programs and completing the one I spoke of. Anyway, before I even realize, we’re in Las Vegas, setting the stage and making the last moment preparations. That is, Jade and I run around, shouting at the stupid people who can’t seem to be doing anything right.

That night, I doubt any of us get any sleep. We have a huge apartment at the Aria Hotel, and it’s actually kind of lonely at night. It’s super silent, and super dark. I usually like dark, but this is eerily quiet, too. It’s creepy. Unable to sleep, I sneak into Jack’s room. It’s the closest to mine. I feel my necklace moving with every step I make. The only time I take it off is when I'm taking a shower or bath. It's pretty much the same deal with the earrings, only I can't sleep with them.  
  
„J-Man?” I whisper. This nickname has an interesting story. The other day, he was complaining about how he always wanted to be a superhero. In the same time, he was whining about how I didn’t find him a nickname, so I rushed and said something along the lines of ‚Shut up, J-Man’. And it stuck.  
  
„T.J.?” He rolls around. „You can’t sleep, either?” He asks me.  
  
„Duh.” I roll my eyes. He laughs and pats the spot near him. I go and lie down by his side. He reminds me of Li a bit. Li was the only one around who I felt so comfortable. The Horsemen changed so much in my life. And I couldn’t be happier about it. I still miss Li, though.  
  
„You know, you can just stand idle tomorrow. There isn’t any major hacking thing for you to do. Nothing the rest of the tech them can’t do.” He suggests.  
  
„You know I can’t do that. Plus, Tressler’s tech team is full of idiots.” I counter. He chuckles from near me. We’re both staring at the ceiling, yes.  
  
„And there’s the fact that you’d all be dead without me.” I casually mention.  
  
„What, only under Daniel’s authority? We’d have killed each other by now.” He says.  
  
„Yeah...” I trail off, the worry spiking.  
  
„Hey, calm down.” Jack takes my hand, looking at me. „We’ll be fine.”  
  
„But what if the plan fails? What if-” I cut myself off, turning around to face him, too.  
  
„The plan won’t fail, T.J. Both you and Daniel put it together. And, even though he can be an egotistical prat, I’ve got to give it to the both of you. You make a good team.” He smiles.  
  
„Sure hope so.” I sigh.  
  
„You know, that reminds of something.” His smile turns mischievous.  
  
„Oh, no. What now?” I ask, honestly worried.  
  
„What is between the two of you?” He bluntly asks, making me widen my eyes and choke on air.  
  
„What the heck, Jack?” I manage to find my voice. „Uh, nothing? Less than nothing? Minus nothing cubed?” Even though it’s dark, I can clearly see him roll his eyes.  
  
„Mhm. Keep telling yourself that, sister.” He starts. I glare at him.  
  
„Dude, I seriously have no idea as to why you’d think there is anything-” I enunciate. „And I mean, anything, between us. Like, there’s-” He cuts me off.  
  
„T.J., stop. I can see it in your eyes when you look at him. Maybe you’re not aware of it just yet, but I am. And so are the rest. Probably not Daniel, since he’s too oblivious to notice.”  
  
„Shut up, Jack.” I mumble, turning my back to him.  
  
„No, but I’m s-” He tries, but I throw my pillow in his face.  
  
„Shut. Up.” I finish, arranging myself to sleep. I hear him snicker and turn on the other side, and soon, we’re both sleeping.  
  
The next morning, I have to literally untangle Jack and the sheets from my form, that is anyway halfway out of the bed. I push him off, somehow making him fall off the bed on the other side with an ‚oomph’.  
  
„Good morning, Sleeping Beauty.” I tell him, my morning voice slurry. He groans. „Damn you and your perfect bed hair.” I say. Well, try to. My mouth isn’t cooperating, so I decide to punish it by yawning. Jack and Henley are the only two Horsemen to ever see my bed hair. And I’m planning on keeping it that way.  
  
„Sh’up, ya crazy head.” He slurs, rolling around to find a comfortable place on the floor.  
  
„Rise and shine, you lazy elvish piece of laziness.” I say, poking him. He throws me off of him and picks himself up.  
  
„You’re one to speak, Merida.” He quips back, smiling at me.  
  
„Oi, Merida’s hair is super cool! And she’s real bad ass. And-” He groans loudly over my ramble.  
  
„It’s too early.” He whines, making the y so long I can’t even.  
  
We both sober up in under a half an hour, and we’re soon off to wake everyone up. I take Henley, he takes Daniel. When it comes to Merrit, we go for the classic and best way for decision-making. Rock, paper, scissors. And he gets to wake him up. Hah hah. Take that, Wilder.  
  
So, the day starts off with awkward silence and people not knowing what to say, and we settle for small talk as we’re walking to our impending doom. The first show. Obviously, I spend the whole day shouting at the tech team, because they misplace everything. I literally have to do everything myself with these idiots around.  
  
So, it’s time. The final hour. The Four Horsemen are in their respective fancy outfits, while I’m dressed in the laziest and coziest thing ever. I give them all their Bluetooth earpieces, keeping one for my own. The stress is obvious on all our faces. We’re all both enthusiastic and scared out of our wits. After everyone in the audience takes their seats, they get ready for the show to start.  
  
After having shouted for the whole day at the tech team, they’re all more than happy to comply to anything my craziness asks of them. So, with just a few keystrokes, the audio starts playing, and they walk on stage. Okay, this is it. I shrug off anything that isn’t strictly linked to the show, and I go through my routine, as the audio plays in the background.  
  
„Merrit McKinney. Daniel Atlas. Henley Reeves. Jack Wilder.” The audio goes an unnoticeable fraction quieter here, but I turn to the audio techies and I throw them the most convincing murderous glare I can. They ain’t ruining this for me.  
  
„Arthur Tressler and the MGM Grand proudly present...” Another key strokes, and the lime lights adjust. My laptop, and another back-up one are plugged into basically everything, I had to get that extension thing with more USB ports. I upload the video with their logo, and I keep tense, waiting for my next cue.  
  
„The Four Horsemen!” Then, my Horsemen start speaking. I do a double check to make sure all their mics are online, and that their earpieces don’t interfere with them. They’re okay.  
  
They do their things, me barging in occasionally to chill Daniel down, when he’s being too cocky, or to fix something a techie did wrong. Then, the intermission arrives, and I can’t allow myself to chill, or I’ll have to find my mojo again. I make sure the idiots who nearly jeopardized the whole thing (a few beginner techies) don’t hear the end of it, and then I go back to my post, going over every tiny detail.  
  
The illusionists come backstage, in my kingdom, only to find me immersed in some last minute touches, ones that really need to be made. I just figured why a program is slightly faulty. So, what I’m doing is drinking coffee, typing, and when I’m checking the program, ceaselessly tugging at my fingerless gloves.  
  
„Relax, T.J.” Jade says, seeing how immersed I am in everything.  
  
„I can’t! Why don’t you try to deal with these losers and then I’ll come and-” He cuts me off.  
  
„I don’t have to, because you’re dealing with it. You got this.” He tries to reassure me. I brush him off, re-immersing myself in my code.  
  
„Guys, the intermission’s almost done. You ready?” Henley reminds.  
  
„As I’ll ever be.” Jack sighs.  
  
„Obviously.” Jade replies.  
  
„’Course, honey.” Merrit teases.  
  
„Shut up! And go on stage, or you’ll ruin everything!” I snap, cracking my knuckles. Okay, now that they’re back out there, it’s time to get back in the professional mood. I play the intro again, and do the regular check ups.  
  
„Thank you!” I hear Merrit’s voice. „Tonight, we would like to try something that will- well, set us a bit apart.”  
  
„For our final trick,” Comes Henley’s, a bit hoarse. „We’re going to do something never before seen on a Las Vegas stage.”  
  
„Or any stage, for that matter.” Jack pipes in. The echo seems to be a bit pronounced, so I take care of that before tuning back in.  
  
„Ladies and gentlemen.” Daniel starts. „Tonight, we are going to rob a bank.” He claps. The limelight hovers over him. Okay, the techies aren’t completely useless- No, focus, Becca. Focus. I check to see whether the cameras are okay, and they are. Thankfully.  
  
„That’s a lot of excitement for a crime.” The ringleader jokes. Good, he’s not going off the script.  
  
„I’m pretty excited. What about you, people?” Henley warms the crowd up.  
  
„One, two, three!” I hear Merrit and Jack saying, not looking at the screens. Probably one of their high-fives.  
  
„Okay. Okay. Now, please, please, settle down.” Daniel urges. „Now-”  
  
„Stop acting so superior.” I hiss in my earpiece. I can see on camera how his lips twitch, so he heard me. So did the rest, because they’re smiling even harder than before.  
  
„Now, who here has a bank they would like us to rob?” The echo goes haywire again, so I have to fix it. The heck is with this thing? Does it go back to default every five minutes?  
  
„That’s a lot of people with a vendetta.” Daniel mutters. „So we’ll choose one at random.” Please, don’t go on. Follow the plan. „My- my associates will make sure it’s random.”  
  
„Shut. Up.” I mutter, making sure he hears me.  
  
„Right?” He continues nonetheless, a huge smirk on his face. I groan.  
  
„Elvis, help me out, bud.” Jack goes. Really? I hit a little speed bump, so I have to fix it and I see myself having to tune out for a minute, working as fast as I physically can. After I see myself through, I let a sigh of relief.  
  
„I don’t know why everybody’s happy, it’s only them.” Daniel says. Phew, I didn’t miss any of my cues! „Merrit, can I get a row, please? Thank you, Merrit. We are looking at... Row number five. Where is that?” He rambles.  
  
„And, uh, Henley, can I please get a random seat number?” He demands. „Ah! Lucky number thirteen! B-5-13.” He reads off the ping pong balls. „Where are you? Sir, please, stand up. There you are! Hi!” I flail my arms to the camera guys, letting them know they have to catch Étienne on camera. Yes, keep up, Étienne is the one who raised to his feet.  
  
Seeing an assistant getting our Frenchman a mic, I do the check ups and realize we’re cool.  
  
„Okay, can you confirm for me that this is, in fact, your seat? B-5-13?” Daniel asks. Just as Étienne goes to answer ‚Yes’, I activate my earpiece again.  
  
„Don’t.” I threaten. He does it anyway; shoves the ping pong balls off the stage. Seriously, this guy? I let out an exasperated breath.  
  
„Okay, wonderful. Now, can you please tell us your name and the name of your bank?” He questions.  
  
„Well, my name is Étienne Forcier and my bank is Credit Républicaine de Paris.” The Frenchman answers.  
  
„French- Okay, uh, we were hoping for, uh, something a little more local, kind of a mom-and-pop credit union with no security. But that’s fine. A promise is a promise. Could you please come up to the stage-” He claps. He does that a lot, as a nervous habit. Also, most of the time, his eyebrows look like they're having a seizure. Don't ask why I have that memorized. „And we’ll, uh, we’ll rob your bank.”  
  
„Don’t forget Tressler.” I say. He always skipped over that in rehearsals. And it's a pretty major thing. He's the distraction, while Merrit does his thing.  
  
„Oh, and while he does that... There is someone here, tonight, without whom we would just be-” He seems at a sudden loss of words. I am ready to barge in, but he remembers. „Four magicians, working the circuit, trying to get- well, actually trying to get here. You probably know this man, if not from one of the many, many companies he puts his name on. He is our friend, he is our benefactor. Mister Arthur Tressler. Please, stand up, Art. Stand up.” He urges, and our benefactor does just that.  
  
„The only man here with the Queen’s cellphone number.” Merrit jokes.  
  
„Actually, please, stay standing, Art. I wanna say that when we came to Mister Tressler, we promised that, as a unit, we could become the greatest name in magic.” Daniel says. The echo does his thing again, and I find myself needed to fix it. I assign an audio techie to it, because now is when I have to do the big thing.  
  
„So we wanted to say thank you, and, by the way, Art, if you notice the sign at the entrance, we made sure that we put your name on top.” Henley says, sweetly.  
  
„If you turn out to be as good as you think you are, dear girl, that won’t be necessary much longer.” Tressler replies. As Merrit works his magic on Étienne and I work my own magic on the computers, running check up after check up, they keep talking, to distract the crowd. The moment I decided to listen in again is the moment Daniel makes another horrible joke.  
  
„In english, if possible.” I glance at the screen and catch onto what he’s saying, just in time to hear Merrit trying to sugar coat it.  
  
„Good one.” He fake praises.  
  
„No, lame one.” I deadpan in my earpiece. I do the check-ups for the audio and visual systems from the useless helmet. I silently thank Merrit for stalling while I’m making sure everything works alright, and I snap out of my daze just in time to work on the special effects of his disappearance. With just a few keystrokes, he’s in Paris, yay!  
  
I realize what a big mistake I’ve made in allowing a techie handle the audio, because it has a two seconds delay. And he’s basically three meters away! How can people be so stupid is beyond me. I manage to patch it up, and the crowd soon have both audio and visual on the Frenchman.  
  
Syncing up with his movements, while the Horsemen are stalling for me, I activate the ‚air duct’ that magically connects Paris and Las Vegas. Seems like I’m the one doing the real magic. The money shower the whole room, but I can’t tune in to what my friends are saying. All the techies are so dumbfounded, they literally freeze and I have to deal with everything.  
  
Luckily, the cameramen are still in position, following the Horsemen around as they’re saying their goodbyes. I do everything the other techies should be doing, possibly missing a few stray lime lights. Heck, I’ll have time to cringe at that later.  
  
About one minute after they’re done and backstage I can let out a relieved sigh and close my eyes. It’s done. The techies get back into their senses, rushing about, realizing I did everything and now they have very little to do. I lean back in my chair, lifting my head to the ceiling, eyes still closed and crack my knuckles again. My fingers are literally so sore.  
  
Working at three laptops isn’t easy. Oh, didn’t I mention? During the intermission I realized two laptops won’t do the trick, and I had a third one brought to me. I can’t have all the software on one laptop, after all. It’d require a huge memory capacity.  
  
But it’s done.  
  
We made it. We pulled off a third of the plan. Sure, now we have to deal with the FBI, but we’ve gone pretty damn far. I breathe out a laugh, opening my eyes to see Jack above me.  
  
„Oh, so you’re back.” I raise an eyebrow at him, raising from my chair and stretching.  
  
„Back? What’s that supposed to mean?” I ask.  
  
„We’ve been trying to get to you for the last thirty seconds, but you were so immersed in whatever that is-” Henley points at the computers. „That you didn’t hear us.”  
  
„Why are you working at three computers?” Merrit asks.  
  
„Because the techies here are idiots and I had to do everything myself.”  
  
„Everything?” Jade questions.  
  
„Fine, mostly.” I admit.  
  
„That sounds better.” He counters.  
  
„Come on, let’s get back to the hotel. I’m so sleepy I’m going to die.” Jack says. I realize just now how tired I am. The adrenaline and hypeness must be wearing off.  
  
„Yeah, let’s.” I agree.  
  
We all get back to the hotel and go to our separate rooms, falling asleep in seconds. Who needs pajamas? Sure, the FBI will be on our heads tomorrow, but it’s not morning yet. We can get some sleep.  
  
Damn, we nailed it tonight.


	6. Chapter Five

The next morning, we have to get an early start. I change my clothes in literally five seconds, in the first things that fall into my hands. I briefly look in the mirror and see that the top really doesn't work with the skirt. Actually, the whole outfit is a mess. Eh. The FBI don’t have no chill, after all. As practiced earlier, I move all the data I need to a micro SD card and I tape it to the back of my half elven leaf necklace.  
  
Merrit brings me a cup of black coffee, just how I like it. I literally smell it from five metres. Just when I’m about to wipe everything from my laptop and reset it, guess who arrives? Mhm, the Federal Bureau of Information. And they make their entrance, alright. I hate the fact that I didn’t get to finish everything.  
  
„FBI!”  
  
„Hands where I can see them!”  
  
„Hands up!”  
  
„Put your hands up!”  
  
„Come on!” I lived on the run for a couple of years, so the screams don’t exactly make me jump. I run the program to wipe everything just in the same time that I open a random intenet page. I think it’s Sebastian Stan’s Instagram, but I’m not sure.  
  
„Uno minuto.” I hear Merrit say. He’s been reading so far, so he’s probably just sassing them. I shrug the thought off and contine my typing.  
  
„Get ’em up! Put the book down!”  
  
„Okay. You got me.” Merrit stalls for me. This guy. What would I do without this guy? Apparently, Henley shows up sometime, keeping her hands raised.  
  
„Miss, remove yourself from the computer.” I am literally super close to finishing everything, so I put a finger up, then lift my mug of coffee with the same hand and take a sip. And, yeah, I’ve been only typing with my other hand this whole time. I’m just that awesome.  
  
„Miss!” I finished, I only have to press enter.  
  
„Oh, come on! You’re not gonna shoot me, you have to debrief me.” I roll my eyes at him, then press enter. I manage to wipe everything from my poor old friend, the laptop, and make it freeze on the Chrome browser, in the page I opened. Oh, so I really did open Sebastian Stan’s Instagram.  
  
„Okay, I’m done.” I push the laptop away.  
  
„Done with what, exactly?” An agent asks, as he secures cuffs around Jack’s wrists.  
  
„So, you want a little preview to the debrief? No can do, man.” I pretend to be grief stricken. Wait, are they gonna make us walk out there? So everyone can see us? So everyone can see me? That’s not an option. For multiple reasons. One, I hate being in the limelights. Two: I was on the run from the FBI a few years back. Three: I’m supposedly dead.  
  
Okay, so that’s an unexpected speed bump. Before they can handcuff me, I quickly grab the nearest thing near me that has a hood. I identify is as my black, sleveless hoodie-vest thing. Okay, so I won’t die from the heat, at least. Then, I grab my sunglasses, pocketing my glasses. Lucky thing my hair is down. And not tangled as all hell. That's the upside in sleeping with your hair in a bun. It's curiously straight, but it's not a complete mess.  
  
The agent looks at me curiously, so I display an exaggerated white girl behavior. That’s how he probably believes all youths act, anyway.  
  
„Don’t look at me like that.” He brings my hands behind my back. „The vest is part of the outfit, I can’t walk out without it.” I say in the girliest voice I can. I hear Jade and Jack snickering. They soon stop, after Henley sends them a glare.  
  
„And what’s with the glasses?” He asks, handcuffing me.  
  
„I’m photophobic.” I reply. I wonder if he even knows what that means. Okay, I’m just being evil now. They’re not stupid. But they’re not so clever as to anticipate the fact that I have a paper clip in my pocket. Meh. Luckily, we get through the paps and fans quicly. I hope neither got a clear shot of me.  
  
They take us to questioning, obviously in separate rooms. I have to wait literally three hours before a man who looks familiar and a woman who couldn’t be more new to me enter. During all this time, I got bored out of my soul. I uncuffed and cuffed myself back like a million times. I got up and streched a few times. Then, I got back and played with my cuffs, letting them stay on my wrists.  
  
„Ow, I really appreciate the love.” I tell them.  
  
„What?” The man snaps. It really bugs me that I can’t identify him.  
  
„Well, coming in here after debriefing the Four Horsemen. I’m not even a second choice. I’m a damned fifth one.” I fake pout.  
  
„How did you know that?” The woman whose nationality I identified as french inquires.  
  
„My kind of magic.” I smirk.  
  
„Perfect, another mentalist.” The man groans.  
  
„Nah. If I were, I could get your names. Which, by the way, are what, exactly?” I pretend to be interested. Better not lose any more time, though. We have a show to attend to.  
  
„Agent Dylan Rhodes and Agent Alma Dray.” The man says tiredly, pointing at each of them. Yeah, because I would have totally believed the chick is called Dylan and that he is called Alma. Wait. French, important enough to be assigned to this case. Interpol?  
  
„Êtes-vous un agent d’Interpol? (Are you an Interpol agent?)” I ask her. She looks taken aback at my good french, and answers me.  
  
„Oui. Êtes, uh, Êtes-vous Français?” She asks. I laugh lightly and nod my head no.  
  
„Enough. Who are you?” Agent Rhodes asks. Really, we’ve been talking for two minutes and he asks that just now?  
  
„Tanya Jones. But I’m sure you ran my ID card, driving license, passport and credit card for contact details, by now.”  
  
„What’s your role within the Horsemen?” He continues. Such a typical bad-cop-good-cop duo, these two. Too typical, almost. Hang on.  
  
„I’m not a Horseman. The Horsemen are just four. Both biblical and irl.” I tell him. „This is your first rodeo together, isn’t it?” I ask the two of them. Their lack of response gives me my answer.  
  
„What are you, then?” He continues.  
  
„Just their tech girl.” I support my weight on my elbows, leaning on the table.  
  
„What were doing on your laptop when my colleagues arrested you?” I roll my eyes.  
  
„Scrolling through Sebastian Stan’s Instagram.” I asnwer.  
  
„And do you have any idea what made your laptop freeze in that frame?” He asks. I pretend to be shocked.  
  
„If you’ve damaged my laptop in any way, I swear to God I’m going to sue you!” I glare at him. He seems convinced by my act, and goes to the next question.  
  
„How did you steal the money?”  
  
„I didn’t. Neither did they, they were onstage. I’m sure you have our video footage by now.”  
  
„But you weren’t on stage.”  
  
„No, I was backstage, shouting my lungs out at the incompetent team of techies the MGM Grand and our benefactor have.” I’m getting tired of this. „Look, you know as well as I do that you have no proof for holding us here. And yes, you can contain us for 48 hours, but we have a show. And I don’t think Tressler’d be very happy to find out we’re here.” He tries to speak up, but I keep talking, distracting them while I uncuff myself for the final time.  
  
„Before you ask me the final time, we all have alibies. This is stupid and pointless. Even more stupid and pointless would be you detaining us.” He tries to speak up, probably to shoot a fact at me, but I cut him off.

„Yes, I do know you can legally keep us under arrest for 48 hours, but you have no proof. Not to mention that detaining us would prove that, on an institutional level, two of the most influentional police forces on this planet believe in magic.” I speak in a rapid manner.

„You’ll want to hear me out if you're hoping to ’nail us’, though.” He looks at me weirdly. „You'll want to drop your daddy issues, and allow Agent Dray to do what she does best, research. I’m telling you, there is absolutely no point in trying to find a logical explanation to this.” He looks shocked, and the Interpol agent looks confused.

„And, just before I go, I strongly advise you against being such a jerk face to her, she’s clearly more open minded than you are. I’d also highly appreciate it if you’d put your other personal issues after your job, you’re already incompetent enough at it as it is.” I snap the handcuffs off my hands. By the personal issues, I obviously meant whatever it’s-complicated type of relationship between the two of them. They both look at me tiredly, and just a bit impressed.  
  
„Magic.” I whisper, widening my eyes and moving my fingers in a very witch-like manner. My phone vibrates in my pocket, I’ll have to look into that. Yes, they gave us our items back after realizing they don’t pose any real danger. Well, my phone did pose a real threat, but they didn’t know that. And I’m not planning on showing them anytime soon, either. I walk until the door.  
  
„Am I free to walk or are you still hell bent on detaining me?” I ask the agents, turning on my heels, my hand on the doorknob. I'm putting on the bitchy attitude I excel at. They don’t say anything, so I exit the room. Seeing as they don’t scream for me to return, I guess I’m cool.  
  
I meet up with the Horsemen, after picking up my poor, ill treated laptop and its cooler. While we’re in the car, I look at my phone to see what the vibration was all about. Oh, my program found a match! Right, I should probably tell you what I’ve been doing. A few weeks back, when I was sure that all my programs were correctly done, I found myself with a bit of free time on my hands. And I decided to figure out what the Eye is up to.  
  
Or, in other words, to find out what’s the reason behind such specific instructions. It looked after magicans’ deaths, fall outs, bankrupts, anything like that. And if it had anything to do with Tressler or the bank from Paris, I’d know. I got a few false alarms so far, but everything was going smoothly.  
  
I click it, to see what result I get. Lionel Shrike? Dude, that’s big. Real big. We’re talking, Boss’ childhood friend big. This has to be it. I look at the articles that pop up. Guess what are the insurance company and bank that failed his family after his accident? Damn right. Tressler Insurance and Credit Républicaine de Paris.  
  
Oh. My. God. I faintly acknowledge Henley asking me if I’m okay. I’m probably white as a sheet. Everything falls into place, now. I nod and smile at Henley, my mind running like a bloody race car. But that means- No. Now way. I check, to confirm. Oh, Lord. Shrike’s son is named Dylan.  
  
That’s why I recognized the bastard. He is almost an exact replica of his dad. Holy Mother of Sauron. I instantly cringe, thinking back on everything I said in the interiogation. It makes sense. He’s in the Eye. And he’s undercover. Damn my life. And the comment about his dad! Good job, Bec, real good job. Ughhh.  
  
I need to call Boss. ASAP. But that ‚P’ might come only after I got off the plane. Wait. P. Pee. I can tell them I really need to pee and contact Boss from the airport! That’s exactly what I do, as soon as we reach it.  
  
„Guys, I really need to hit the loo. All this FBI mambo-jumbo made my bladder go batshit crazy. I’ll be back soon. While you’re loading the bags and starting the plane, I’ll solve my, uh, problem.” Merrit smiles at me,, amused, and motions for me to hurry.  
  
I go to the bathroom, and hit the four digit code for my encrypted line, and then dial Boss’ number, fiddling with my skirt. When he picks up and I hear his voice on the other end, I go on a full rage.  
  
„Why on this bloody Earth didn’t you tell me we’re working with Shrike’s son?!” There’s a small silence.  
  
„So, you figured it out.” He states.  
  
„I figured it- What, is this one of your little tests again?” I ask, enraged.  
  
„No. Not really. But it proves me you’re ready for the task I want to appoint you to.” I hear his calm voice on the other end.  
  
„Which is?” I ask, a bit chilled out. Not much, though. He skipped over a huge detail.  
  
„You’ll have to leave the Horsemen to handle themselves after the second show.” Okay, you can forgot the chill I mentioned.  
  
„What?! Explain to me just how this is something extremely hard to do, cause I don’t seem to be following.” I shush my voice at the end, hearing footsteps outside. Someone entered the men's bathroom. I really hope it's not one of the boys.  
  
„Rebecca.” He hisses. It’s weird, now. Hearing my real name said by someone else. „Let me finish. You’re going to go to Dylan and tell him you’re with us. He just recruited the other four, so he’s probably quite confused as to who you are. Another thing I need you to do is, well.” He stops for a minute.  
  
„Get captured by the FBI?” I ask with a sigh. Makes sense. They might catch me anyway, once I part from the four, and they’ll take me in the exact places I need to go, anyway.  
  
„Exactly. But only after-” He starts, but I cut him off.  
  
„Only after I take the tracker from Daniel and talk to Dylan. I know. I get the plan’s logic. I get to talk to him and his cover won’t be blown, he’ll actually gain more respect after that.” I sigh.  
  
„Good.”  
  
„Okay, I have to go now, I have a plane to catch.” I say, then remember something and add. „Oh, and if I die, I’ll come back and haunt your ass.” I finish.  
  
„I’m counting on it.” He hangs up. I hear the person who entered the nearby bathroom wash his hands. When I get out of the room, I see a security guard scrubbing his hands through the open door. Phew. Not Daniel, Jack or Merrit.  
  
I hurry to the plane and we take off. The plan goes like this. I tell them I’m not in the mood for socializing, after the very recent and very traumatic experience at the FBI. I retreat in a corner, with my laptop’s airplaine-mode on and watch a previously downloaded episode of something. In reality, it’s just playing in the background while I’m moving all my data back from the mini SD card.  
  
Then, I ‚fall asleep’ after I’m done, about 30 minutes into the flight. After they find out the two things I need for Tressler’s bank account password, I can adjust my program to it and handle it. Why can’t I do it without the two hints? If I enter three wrong passwords, the whole thing blows up in our face. That meaning Tressler gets a notification of someone trying to get into his bank account. And we don’t want that.  
  
Anyway, back in the present, Henley and Merrit are laughing their asses off behind me, and I’m trying not to snort at his awful jokes. Tressler is having a Skype call with some TV program host, Daniel is off doing whatever, and Jack is ‚nervously fiddling’ in a chair in front of me.  
  
„-not time consuming.” The mentalist finishes. At this point, I have to sink my face in my chair so my laughter won’t be heard. Hopefully, Henley’s joyous laugh covers any trace of mine. Merrit goes ahead and continues with his awfully bad, yet curiously funny jokes. When he reaches the one with the doctor, Jade recognizes his cue.  
  
„Oh, hey, Daniel, can I talk to you about my role in the show real quick?” I hear Jack’s voice, all nervous and fidgety. This guy is a really good act. Comes with the job, I guess. I wonder how many time did he have to pretend to nick people's belongings.  
  
„Yeah, yeah, sure.” Jade brushes him off, like he usually does. „Hey, guys.” He spoils the whole fun from the back. He accidently nudges my seat, and I turn in my supposed sleep.  
  
“Okay, punk, no need to wake her up. Lord knows she rehearsed her role more times than enough. She need her rest.” Merrit says, getting up.  
  
“We have a show to prepare for.” Jade continues, ignoring Merrit.  
  
“Oh, do we, now?” Merrit asks, and I can hear him moving in front of Daniel.  
  
“No, no, no, no, no. Don’t do that, you’re not doing that- thing to me. No, no!” Jade flips out.  
  
“What thing? I’m just looking at you.” Merrit plays innocent.  
  
“No you’re not.” Jade snaps back, before poor Merrit even manages to finish his words. “I’ve been watching you for a year, I know all of your little tricks.”  
  
“Is they are to you, little tricks?” I can basically hear the smirk on his face.

“Yes, it’s- it’s gimmicks. Barnum statements. It’s reading the eyes, body language, I get it.” That’s actually what I do, combined with other things. He’s still got some more tricks up his sleeve, though.  
  
“If it’s so easy, why don’t you do… Henley?” The mentalist suggests.  
  
“Yeah, Danny. Why don’t you do me?” Man, that sounds so cringy. Plus, I’m sure he already did. If y’all know what I mean.  
  
“Nah, you’re too easy. I’ll do- I’ll do Jasmine.” I hear him say.   
  
“No.” Tressler’s voice is heard. Yes, he fell for it! ”Do me.”  
  
“Oh, yeah. Yeah, do Art.” Merrit says. I’m at that point where it’s been said so many times it’s not even awkward anymore.  
  
“Okay.” Jade accepts.  
  
“Even better.” Merrit states.  
  
“Art.” Jade starts.  
  
“Yeah.” The old man lazily answers. “But I warn you, I can be difficult to read, when I want to.” Not to me, not to Merrit. To Jade? Even if he wouldn’t want to, he’d still be.  
  
“Just, uh, stay with me, okay?” He says. “So, Art. You were a tough kid. You know, kind of a real rapscallion.” Hold it together, Bec. Lucky me, for holding my eyes closed. If I’d see the body language I’d laugh myself to death.  
  
“You had a dog, a real tough dog.” He continues. “A brutish breed. A real, I wanna say, Ben the bulldog?”  
  
“Actually, I was a prissy little tot. I had a fluffy white cat called Snuffles.” All the Horsemen forcibly start laughing when Tressler does. We have to entertain the money giver. Until tonight, anyway.  
  
“Wow.” Merrit breathes. Then there’s a small thump heard and a ‘Sorry’ from Jade, I think? I don’t even know.  
  
“Let me try, I can do way better.” Jack requests.  
  
“Come on, one more time, one more time.” Jade pleads.  
  
“He can do way better than that.” Henley agrees, ignoring Jade. There’s so many people talking at one time, I don’t get what each is saying, but then they silence and I hear Jade’s voice again.  
  
“Let’s do family.” Hey, he has a nice voice. How come I didn’t notice this so far? Nope, focus. But- nope. “You had an uncle? On your mother’s side. He had a kind of, real masculine name. A real kind of, salt-to-the-earth. Stick-it-to-you, like it was a- Some kind of Paul. Thompson? Was it a Paul? Okay, you know what? I got nothing.” He admits.  
  
“Nearly, though.” Tressler teases.  
  
“Really?” Jade asks, hopefully.  
  
“Yeah, my uncle’s name was Cushman Armitage.” He enounciates, crushing Daniel's hopes.  
  
“Really? Snuffles and Cushman Armitage? That was your childhood?” Jade asks, sounding defeated. Great, now I have all the intel. I just need them to come and wake me up, or it’ll be too conspicuous.  
  
“-certainly hope tonight’s show is going to be better than that.” I distinguish Tressler’s words.  
  
“Don’t worry. Just you wait.” Jade assures.  
  
“Art, you were epic.” Jack tells him, after everyone starts going back to their seats. “Oh, I so have to tell T.J. about this.”  
  
“Let the girl sleep, Jack.” Henley tries to stand up for me.  
  
“Nah, she never lets me sleep. I don’t see any reason not to take my payback.” He says, and jump scares me. I actually wasn’t expecting it, so my reaction is genuine. I kick and scream and punch, hitting him square in the jaw.  
  
“What?” I mumble confused, as if having to take a moment to recover. After I punched him, I'm able of keeping my act up. “The hell is wrong with you, you stupid, crazy, flipping retarded idiot! Get away from me or I’ll gauge your eyes out with your cards and shove you out of the plane!” I push him away. I hear him chuckling from the front seat, and I snap at him, again.  
  
“Shut up, you blundering, babbling, bumbling baboon!” I snap, almost not realizing I just quoted McGonagall. I furiously take my laptop out and start making the adjustments. When I notice Jack staring at me from his seat, I slap his head back down, and he disappears from my sight.  
  
I almost don’t talk to them during the rest of the flight; I only exchange some replies with Jade, trying to convince him to dump the trackers. Of course, that doesn’t work. Before I even realized, we’re touching down, and I have to prepare for the show. Well, when I say prepare. What I really do is check the social medias, only to find blurred Instagram (and the like) photos with the caption ‘The Fifth Horseman’, or anything similar.  
  
These guys have zero biblical knowledge, I swear. At least they didn’t get a shot of my face. They got a pretty clear shot of my hair, though. Damn, it was slaying it this morning. Photo ready hair, check. I look a bit like a modern day Merida, like that. Haha, if only.  
  
Before I can even comprehend what’s going on, I am already shouting at the techies, although I have to give it to them, they’re better than the MGM Grand’s. That’s good for them, because for this show’s final act, I have to take care of the transactions. I’ll be able to tutor them until then, but not afterwards.  
  
I give the Horsemen their earpieces and usher them onstage, the audio playing as they go. It’s quite a long walk until the stage from here. It’s rather impractical, if you ask me. But it’ll aid me in my escapade.  
  
“Ladies and gentlemen, the Savoy management welcomes you to tonight’s special performance: The Four Horsemen, Act II. Unlike traditional performances, the Four Horsemen encourage you to film, call your friends, upload, stream and tweet the show freely. Thank you. The show will begin in a few minutes.” Okay, they’re probably getting their finishing touches at make-up right now.  
  
I do my regular check-ups, and get a little bit less tense after I see everything’s okay. The audio starts playing and I’m honestly in love with the brilliant techies we have for this show. They do everything flawlessly. I might have scared them a bit, too, but that’s beside the point.  
  
“Arthur Tressler presents: Jack Wilder, Henley Reeves, Merrit McKinney and Daniel Atlas. The Four Horsemen.” I am literally tempted to lay back and watch, but I have to maintain the professional vibe. Then, the group points out the presence of the two agents that are present for the show. I have to admit, this Dylan guy’s act is good. It took me a while to see through it.  
  
The whole first half of the show presents individual tricks, tricks we’ll use in both the grand finale (third show), and after the intermission. They take turns on stage, doing this clever thing where they debunk the classical tricks, or just mess around with the audience. There’s one trick that bothers me more than it should, though. And I don’t know why. It actually makes me feel a weird pang in my chest.  
  
During a time when I know I have to be professional, mind you. That never happens. Never. What trick am I talking about? The one with the bubbles, of course. When Daniel catches Henley, to be more precise. My focus cracks for a second, but I regain myself soon. Not the time to figure out personal mysteries.  
  
I find myself things to do, as to not feel useless, and soon, the intermission comes.  
  
It’s my time to shine.


	7. Chapter Six

Rebecca’s P.O.V.  
  
I go through my before-show ritual, every Horsemen looking at me weirdly. I guess they didn’t see me a few seconds before a show, yet. I shoo them onstage and start typing furiously. I think I heard them talking about how Bradley came and visited them before the show, but I didn’t pay too much attention. I wasn’t there, they were in their room, preparing. I was and am backstage.  
  
And I have a plan to complete.  
  
„At the intermission, we asked you to write your current bank balance, and seal it in an envelope. Now it’s time to get those envelopes out. Everyone, take them out.” Merrit instructs. He pauses as they do as they’re said. „Now, everybody, shout out your name. All of you at once. Go.”  
  
„First, you need Clement Frannick.” I instruct.  
  
„Clement? Frannick?” I hear him ask, making an audience member rise. „Okay.”  
  
„Secondly, Dina Robertson.” I tell him quickly, snapping Jack’s hand away. He, Daniel and Henley are backstage, with me. Momentarily. He is nervous and trying to fiddle with something. Not on my watch, mister. Daniel and Henley are really immersed in a conversation about the old days, and I try my best not to snap at them, typing away.  
  
„Dina? Robertson?” Another one rises. „That’s me!”  
  
„Hang on.” I mutter. Where is that damned third name?!  
  
„Okay! Names, names! Come on.” Merrit warms the crowd up.  
  
„Got it! Josepha Hickey!” I exclaim.  
  
„Josepha Hickey?” He makes the crowd chill down, as a woman gets up. „That’s me!”  
  
„Bank balance: 562.” He keeps the mentalist act, ‚deducing’ the value, then tells her she’s mistaken. I shoo the three remaining Horsemen onstage.  
  
„Dina, 1477.” I tell him. „Clement, 6500.” He informs the entire audience that they’re wrong about their bank balances, then starts stalling so I can make sure my program runs just fine. I enter Tressler’s bank account, using the hints he so foolishly gave us. As Henley and Daniel walk onstage, I’m at the finishing touches.  
  
When Tressler and Jack go on stage, I realize a small hiccup in the program and fix it. Why do these things only happen to me, really? Can you imagine what would have happened if- No, Bec. Focus, now. This is literally it. The point where everything can go horribly wrong. In so many ways I'm afraid to so the math. And I'm never afraid to do the math. I take a deep breath and look over the program, for the last time, as the audience is instructed to take their flashlights out.  
  
„-appear.” I catch Merrit’s word. Oh, lord! My cue! I almost missed it! I’m drenched in a cold sweat as I run the program. I let a small sigh of relief, seeing it doesn’t meet any errors. Damn, did I work hard on this baby. The program finishes and 70,000 are now transferred to Josepha.  
  
„Guys.” Jack calls. Woop, my cue again. I tune the Horsemen out, running the program again, this time for Dina Robertson’s bank balance, and, what do you think? Extra 280,000 for her. Doing this is surprisingly fun, you know. Reminds me of the good old days, when I hacked into the Pentagon because of a dare.  
  
After the program finishes again, I run it for the remaining people who came to the show. Except for Boss and the two agents, that is. Thank Lord, the Horsemen keep distracting people while I do that. After the program finishes with no problem, I can finally tune in.  
  
„Your loved ones. But all of you were insured by the same company.” Daniel.  
  
„Tressler Insurance!” They say, in sync.  
  
„You were abandoned.” Merrit.  
  
„You were loop holed!” Henley.  
  
„Our of your settlements.” Jack. That’s when the crowd goes crazy, realizing the neat little stunt I just pulled. I actually pulled this off. I actually, genuinely, pulled this off. But now I have bigger things to worry about. The FBI. I rise from my seat, knowing I’ll have to take off any minute now. I’ll have to run the same program I did when they first stormed us. And yes, I have all the data for the third show on a micro SD, taped to my necklace.  
  
It’s too bad I didn’t get to modify the program, because it still freezes over the first Chrome web page I open. I prepare myself to press the button just at the right moment, giving them enough time to escape. Once I press it, FBI’s IT team should be able to realize that the transfer was made for real, and they’ll go for them. Now, my firewalls are still doing their job.  
  
My cue is when Tressler gets chained. I run the program, and the screen freezes. I know this wipe isn’t enough, though. I grab a hammer I kept close at hand and whisper to my poor laptop.  
  
„I’m really sorry, love.” And then smash it twice: once in the screen, once in the keyboard and all the hardware. I take off at a mad run on the stairs, until the roof. That’s my checkpoint. My heart is beating fast, just thinking about what to do. I’m keeping my phone in hand, because I’m too worried of whether it’ll drop out of my back pocket. It's valuable, because of two things: one, it has advanced tech on it, and two, I need it for my part of the plan.  
  
„We are The Four Horsemen. Goodnight!” I faintly hear as I’m one floor up. Once I reach the roof, I have exactly one second and a half to catch my breath, because then, they come storming out, heading straight for the fire escape. Jack grabs my hand and violently drags me along. Well, then.  
  
Two blocks later, we split, according to plan: I’m going with Jade, Henley goes with Jack and Merrit goes solo. We’re taking some pretty close turns (I have the road memorized), and the we reach the main street. I notice Agent Dray hot on our tail. Damn, she’s clever. I’d like her if I didn’t hate her.  
  
Glancing back, I see Agent Rh- Shrike, sorry, on top of a car. Probably noticing us pushing our way through the crowd, he takes off in our direction. I push Jade to run faster. Soon, we reach the place where we have to take a- what the heck! I forgot about this wall. I jump over it, and then Jade follows.  
  
Just when he’s about to jump on the other side, I hear Agent Dray’s voice shouting at him to stop. Another thing I clearly hear is a gun’s safety taken off. My heart sinks in that moment, cold sweat practically drenching me. I didn’t get this far for this to happen.  
  
Jade lifts himself up, then jumps on the other side. In that exact moment, I hear another gun’s safety being pulled off and someone shoots; thankfully, not hitting him. I hope. I grab his hand and drag him after me, hearing Dylan groan. This whole thing would better just be an act. I glance back, they’re not in pursuit. Are they trying to cut us off through some other place?  
  
After we’re about five blocks away from where the place where we lost the two agents, I pull him in a shady corner, frantically checking him over for wounds. Okay, I’m not doing that, I knew he didn’t get hit. I’m looking for the tracker, but I can’t find it anywhere! Okay, I’m almost groping him at this point, but I have to find the damn thing.  
  
If I don’t, it’ll jeopardize the whole plan and endanger his life. He grabs my wrists, making my hands freeze on his chest, and he whispers.  
  
„T.J. I’m fine. Look, she didn’t get me.” I absently note how I can feel his breath on my cheek, we’re that close. In that moment, a crazy thought occurs. I hug him, sticking my body to his. Surprisingly, he hugs back, placing his hands on my waist. Okay, so it’s in his jacket’s pocket. Almost too easy to get, really.  
  
„But she could have.” I whisper, preparing my phone. I have to distract him somehow. Oh, I have an idea. But it’s dumb, it’s so dumb. Well, to heck with all. I release myself from the hug, placing my hands on his chest, only my left one touching it. The right one must work it’s magic. He keeps his hands around my waist, and whispers halfheartedly.  
  
„We have to get back to the apartment.” I tilt my head closer to his, and he furrows his brows slightly. Just as my hand does the exchange, I whisper in reply.  
  
„I know.” Being literally two inches from his face, my beating heart and shivers tell me I really want to kiss him. Which is, I might say, crazy. I get this warm feeling in my stomach, and I nervously bite my lip. Everyone always says that time slows down in these moments. I can't disagree more. Everything is moving so fast, I can barely process it. Alas, I successfully manage the exchange. Just in time, too. Running footsteps approach us. We’re out of time. I grab his jacket collar and shove him away, whisper-yelling at him.  
  
„Run, we have to split!” He moves, albeit slowly, but I feel like he needs an extra push. „Go!” I scream. He nods and makes a run for it. What was that? If we had more time, was I really going to kiss him? I glance at the device in my hands, and I let out a shaky breath.  
  
Now that Jade’s gone, I feel surprisingly relieved. I proceed just like I did in my old days. I listen to the approaching footsteps. They’re not Dylan’s, I have those memorized. So they don’t have the tracker, they don’t know I’m here. I go completely out of sight, practically becoming the dark wall behind me. I stop my breathing and close my eyes, listening to every sound.  
  
„Clear.” I hear an agent say. After they pass me, I’m free to breathe again. Okay, now I have the device, so Dylan’s after me. Good. I lead him into an unoccupied room from the Napoleon House. When he gets to me, I put my fingers up to my lips, and hand him the device.  
  
„Act like I planted it to you.” I whisper, barely audible. I hear the others coming up the stairs, and I hide after the door, just as Dylan places the device in his coat pocket. He puts on his best disheveled act, and runs out, frantically looking from left to right.  
  
„I’m tracking myself!” I hear him shout, as the heavy footsteps of like a billion FBI agents stop. They’re probably doing a quick scan of the rooms, but I’m already gone by then.  
  
What I need to do is find my way to a payphone. I don’t think that the Horsemen have assembled yet, but, just in case, I’m using my second secured line. I enter the code and dial Boss’ number.  
  
„I need you help.” I mutter in the phone.  
  
„What with?” He asks.  
  
„In about half an hour, I’ll call you from another payphone. You’ll have to keep your act of Thaddeus Bradley, the evil debunker throughout all that.”  
  
„What do you have in mind?” He asks. I didn’t expect him to be so willing to comply. It seems like he really trusts my judgment.  
  
„I left them a recording on my phone, phone that I planted to Daniel, when I nicked the tracker from him. I need to find a way to tell them the password. Listen, I have to go, I’m still on the run from the bloody FBI. I’ll check in with Shrike after I do this job.”  
  
„Okay, Rebecca. God’s speed. Don’t get hurt.”  
  
„Thanks, Boss.” I end the conversation.  
  
During the mentioned half an hour, I go buy myself a cap and a hair tie. I also lose the glasses, keeping them well confined in my pockets. Oh, and I go buy myself some food. And a coffee. A big, steaming mug of black coffee. Just how I like it. After I’m done with all that, I go to the nearest payphone and enter the code I left as a background photo on my phone’s lock screen. Then, I dial Thaddeus Bradley and try to shrug the nerves off.  
  
Third Person P.O.V. (The Horsemen’s hotel)  
  
Daniel arrives, at last, back at the hotel, thinking that Rebecca -or, as they know her, T.J.- should already be back. He closes the door behind him, and Henley tackles him into a relieved hug.  
  
„Thank God you’re okay. Where’s T.J.?” She asks him, worried.  
  
„T.J.? She’s not back yet?” He asks, starting to panic.  
  
„No. Where and when did you last see her?” Jack pipes in.  
  
„We split, when the FBI was onto me because of the- the tracker. Oh, no.” Daniel finally realizes what happened, and check his coat pocket. He is relieved when his fingers found something, but as he fishes it out of pocket and looks at it, his heart sinks. It’s not the tracker. It’s her phone.  
  
„But that’s- that’s her phone.” Merrit says, confused.  
  
„Danny, why do you have her phone?” Henley questions.  
  
„She switched it with the tracker. She switched them, and I didn’t notice. She could be anywhere by now!” Daniel exclaims, flailing his arms around.  
  
„Why would she do that?” The woman asks, puzzled.  
  
„Probably because it endangered us. And now it’s endangering her.” He answers her. It’s weird, how he has trouble breathing after he realized she might be in danger.  
  
„Okay, let’s all calm down.” Merrit tries.  
  
„Calm down?! She could be captured by now!” Daniel snaps.  
  
„Danny’s right. We should go find her.” Henley suggests.  
  
„I don’t think so, guys.” Jack asks, ignoring the shocked looks he gets. „Look, if I learned one thing about her this year, it’s that if she doesn’t want to be found, she won’t be.” He reasons. „And for sure, she won’t be found by aimlessly walking New Orleans’ streets.” He finishes, making Henley blush.  
  
„What do you have in mind, then?” She asks.  
  
„The phone.” Merrit barges in. „She never lets that thing out of her sight. That’s enough to tell us it’s serious.” He starts deducing the situation, very much like our hero herself.  
  
„So, if she gave this to me, it has important information on it.” Daniel concludes his friend’s logical string of thoughts.  
  
„Pass it over.” Henley demands. He does, and she lights the phone up. „Of course, she wouldn’t have the information accessible by anyone. It’s password protected. And I get the feeling we don’t get many tries.” She lifts the phone up.  
  
„What about this code, then?” Jack suggests, looking at the numbers on the screen, that read 5943.  
  
„No, it’s too obvious. Anyone would try that. It’s not the pass code.” Daniel argues.  
  
„What other relevant things have four digits?” Merrit thinks out loud.  
  
„Encrypted phone lines do.” Jack states, making all eyes snap to him. „Well, they can have. T.J. told me about them just a few days ago. I didn’t think much of it, she’s always obsessing over technology, but it might be something.”  
  
„This is it. It has to be. It fits.” Merrit reasons. „But I don’t see the connection.”  
  
„I do.” Henley pipes in. „I can rough out a trace algorithm, so we can know where she’s using the line from and what she’s saying. The location will be harder to get than the actual conversation, but I don’t think we need the location.” She finishes.  
  
„Great. How long it’ll take you?” Daniel asks.  
  
„Under 10 minutes.” The others look at her, impressed. „What? My roommate’s a hacker. You learn things.” She starts working. After the program is completed, she lets it run until they get a hit. In the meantime, they try to calm themselves down. In under half an hour, they get a hit. They all scurry around the computer, as Henley listens in to the ongoing conversation.  
  
Well, the person T.J. is ringing didn’t answer yet, so they’re not getting actual conversation yet. Oh, never mind. The person on the other end picks up.  
  
„Hello?” The Four Horsemen recognize Bradley’s voice, and they tense up immediately.  
  
„Oh, hi, you little prat.” They hear T.J.’s voice.  
  
„Miss Jones. Always a pleasure.”  
  
„Shut up. You promised me the FBI won’t be after me. You promised me I wouldn’t get behind bars.” T.J. snaps.  
  
„Yet I never said anything about them not coming after you. What information do you have for me?” Bradley asks, bored.  
  
„You’re kidding me, right? You didn’t respect your end of the deal, I’m not respecting mine.”  
  
„I see. Correct me if I’m wrong, but you’re with the Horsemen right now?” The man inquires.  
  
„No, I’m not. I had to split from them. They were leading the FBI straight to our headquarters. I replaced Atlas’ tracker with my phone.” Daniel visibly grimaces when T.J. says his name so hatefully.  
  
„You did, didn’t you? And how can I know that the merry band isn’t listening in, right now?” He suspects.  
  
„You can’t. But do you really think I’d dig my own grave, like that?” There’s a snort on the other end. „Plus, they’d need the code to the encrypted line, and, guess what? They don’t have it.” T.J. snaps.  
  
„And you’re telling me your phone doesn’t contain valuable information, either?”  
  
„Oi, you prissy stuck-up. Of course it does. But you know what else it contains? Firewall after firewall. And a password so simple they’d never guess it. They wouldn’t think, in a million years, that it’s the month and day of my birthday.” There’s a reticent sigh on the other end.  
  
„Look, man. If you’re going to become doubtful of me and my allegiances, then maybe I shouldn’t have come to you in the first place.” T.J. pushes.  
  
„No, it’s not that.” There’s a pause. „I’m sending a car over, to pick you up. Where are you?” He asks.  
  
„No!” T.J. hisses. „I don’t want my cover to be blown just yet! I’d rather wait for the third show for that. I have to go. Nice chat. I hope not to do it again, soon.” She hangs up.  
  
The Four Horsemen are numbly staring at the screen, unable of processing anything. The same looks and thoughts cross all their faces and minds. She played them, all from the start. Everything they ever knew of her was, and is, an act. Hurt, sadness, disappointment is plastered all over their faces. They can’t even feel any of it, though. They’re numb.  
  
„So, right fr-” Daniel starts, but is cut off by Henley.  
  
„No, Danny, we don’t know that! We have to give her credit.”  
  
„What credit? You heard her. Those are her own words, right there.” He snaps.  
  
„What did she give us the code for, then?” Jack tries to cling on the last hair of hope.  
  
„Some weird desire to confess, maybe?” Merrit suggests.  
  
„No! She even gave us the password. Come on, guys. We owe her this, after everything she’s done for us. We need to look for the bigger picture.” Henley presses. Jack offers her a supporting smile, and stretches his hand for the phone.  
  
„Okay, so she always tells me that we’re twins in every way, except for blood. We all know what her birthday is. Just the same as mine. 12th of June. She said month, then day. That means 0612.” He reasons out loud, while typing the four digits. He successfully entered her phone, feeling like a heavy weight was just lifted off his shoulders.  
  
„See?” He lifts the phone up.  
  
„Wait, that’s wrong.” Merrit notices.  
  
„What’s wrong?” Jack asks.  
  
„Everything. The phone’s on default!” Daniel realizes. „She’s wiped it!” He exclaims.  
  
„No, I refuse to believe that.” Henley snatches the phone from Jack, scrolling through the menu, opening any app that might contain something. Opening up Gallery, she finds something that’s definitely not default. In the videos folder, there’s an icon with T.J.’s face.  
  
„A video.” She breathes, sticking the phone in front of her, allowing everyone to look at it. „She left us a video.” Everybody expresses their relief in some way. Jack lets out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, Merrit lets out a shaky breath. Daniel lets a relieved sigh and breaks into a genuine grin.  
  
„Well, what are we staring at? Play it!” Jack urges. They all gather behind Henley, but she places the phone on the table, putting it up against a random plate.  
  
„My hands are too trembly.” She admits.  
  
„Oh, just play the damn thing!” Daniel snaps. Henley turns the volume to maximum, then plays the video, everyone staring over her shoulder.  
  
„Alright, so I know you have questions and doubts by this point. Let me clear things up. No, I’m not working for Bradley, I’m leading him away from you. I convinced him that I have a good reason to hold a grudge on you, and he bought it. Personal history, something tells me. Anyway, if you don’t take my word for it, think of it this way. Why would I leave the hint in the telephone conversation, ’ey?” Recording-T.J. raises an eyebrow.  
  
„I knew only you would get it, after Henley gave me that lecture of birthdays being really important. Oh, not to mention the fact you would have never gotten into my phone if I wouldn’t have taken all the firewalls down.” She pauses.  
  
„Plus, if I’d’ve wanted to, the FBI would have already gotten to you. You know how far my skills go.” The girl says with a sigh.  
  
„I hope that clears the matter up. Now, as to why I zoomed off with the tracker? I had to. Daniel would’ve unintentionally lead the FBI straight to us. At least, in this way, I’m hoping to buy you guys some more time. As I’m sure you know, there’s three possible outcomes to this. One: I get away. Two: I’m captured by the FBI. Three, which I hope isn’t going to happen: I’m dead. If I get away with it, I’ll meet you at the safe. If I’m captured, I’ll meet you at one of the rendezvous places around 5 Pointz. If I’m dead, well, I won’t meet you at all.” She tries to brush the matter off by giving a nervous laugh.  
  
„Either way, you have to go on with the show. Sure, the special effects and everything else won’t be as good as when I’m around, but they’ll have to do. Complete the plan. Complete the Initiation. Blow their minds, and tell the Eye about your tech girl. Don’t forget about me, alright?” The video finishes. A weird silence embraces the Horsemen.  
  
„I told you we owed her one.” Henley tries to lighten up the mood. By this point, Daniel is sure he can’t feel like more of an idiot. Everything she ever did was protect them, care about them. All the times he made fun of her and insinuated stuff just comes back to him, deepening the pit in his stomach. She might be dead right now, and it’s all because of his stubbornness. Heck, it looks like he cares about her a bit more than he’d like to admit.  
  
„Damn right.” Jack agrees, trying to sound normal and not like he’d want to cry his eyes over his friend’s kind soul.  
  
„Hey, why are we all acting like she’s dead? We know her, she ain’t going down just like that.” Merrit urges them. „Here’s my suggestion. We’ve all had a very long day, and an even longer night. The FBI will be all over us tomorrow, at the first light. We have to follow the plan. Let’s get on the plane back to New York and maybe get some shut-eye while we’re on it.”  
  
They all groan or mutter their replies, heading to their bedrooms and getting their suitcases out. They all know they won’t be able to get any sleep, and that their friend missing will hit them even worse when the FBI will charge over them.  
  
Rebecca’s P.O.V.  
  
I get off the phone with Boss, hoping to any deity out there that my Horsemen won’t misunderstand the whole thing. I can’t keep my mind on that, though. I’ve got some pretty big things to handle, like meeting up with Shrike Junior. Heck, this will be a long night.  
  
I figure he’s at some bar. After that supposed failure, that’s the place where most people expect him to be. So, it should be somewhere near the Napoleon House, where I gave him the tracker. I head back to the restaurant-hotel, and basically start going from bar to bar. I find him at only the seventh try, surprisingly.  
  
But he’s talking to the Interpol agent, so I position myself at a nearby stool, my back turned to them. They seem to be having a pretty intense conversation. Agent ‚Rhodes’ suddenly lowers his voice to a threatening growl, and, all of the sudden, Agent Dray has him pinned by the hand. On the bar counter, might I say.  
  
I turn back to them with an amused expression. Of course, they’re both of them too immersed in the moment to notice me. I shake my head and turn around, ordering two black coffees. One for me, yeah, and one for the FBI agent, as soon as I see Agent Dray exiting the bar. He stares after her, which gives me the opportunity to hurry at the bar stool near him. When he turns, he jumps, seeing me. Recognizing me, he takes it down a notch.  
  
„I thought you said you didn’t make magic.” He states.  
  
„I don’t. You’re just so drunk, that your senses couldn’t catch me.” I say, making him raise an eyebrow. „And I’m also a pretty good fugitive.” I shrug. He downs the rest of his drink and goes to order another, but I stop him and hand him the coffee.  
  
„What do you think you’re doing?” He seethes at me.  
  
„You’ve had enough to drink. I need you sober, agent. So I’m sobering you up.” I state, taking a huge gulp of my own coffee. I order a water, too, and I put it in front of the agent.  
  
„You know I can have you arrested, right? You have just as much fault as the Horsemen.” He says, nonchalantly. Damn, if I didn’t have Boss’ confirmation for my suspicions, I would have fallen for this.  
  
„Even more.” I say, with a wink. „I’m a member the Eye.” He chokes over his water. I pat him on the back for a few times. „Finish your drinks. I’m paying. We need to go.” I say, pulling the money out and leaving it on the counter. While I’m gathering all my things, I tell him where to meet me and exit the bar.  
  
It’d be weird to see an FBI agent walking out of a bar with a random girl. And if we stay here, there’s a big chance we’re overheard. So we have to meet somewhere else, and leave separately. I head over to the place I told Shrike about, and he gets there about two minutes later.  
  
„Good. Now we can talk in peace.” I state.  
  
„You can’t be in the Eye.” He deadpans.  
  
„Yes, I can. I am just as much a member of the Eye as you are.”  
  
„How do you know about that?” He seems to decide against arguing with me. Good call.  
  
„I’m a clever girl. And don’t worry. True, you didn’t pick me to help the Four Horsemen. And I didn’t hack my way in, either. I was assigned to the mission by a higher up.”  
  
„How high up?” He inquires, eyebrows twitching.  
  
„The highest up.” I reply. He seems impressed.  
  
„There is a highest up?” He asks me.  
  
„There’s always one. Boss told me you don’t know its identity.” I tell him.  
  
„I was hoping you'd slip up on his gender.” He admits and asks me in the same time. He looks curious.  
  
„Nah. Now, Dylan- Can I call you Dylan?” He nods. „Speaking of which, since you decided not to go by ‚Shrike’, why are you still going by ‚Dylan’?” He gapes at me.


	8. Chapter Seven

„You know about that, too?” He looks at me, surprised.

„Yeah, wasn’t that hard a lead.”

„How? Who told you?” He questions.

„I figured it out myself, thank you very much. But I’ll have to give it to you, when you interrogated me I didn’t know it just yet. Sorry.”

„It’s, um, it’s okay.” He nods at me.

„Okay, anyway. We have bigger things to discuss.” He motions at me to go ahead, so I sigh and do just that.

„I’ll need you to turn me in.” He looks puzzled, so I continue. „I’ll need to be in the same plane as you, whn you return to New York. And just before you storm our flat, you’ll take me into custody. Earn them some more time, y’know.”

”Speaking of New York, why aren’t you with them?” He asks me. I ponder what to tell him, for a second.

„The Eye wants them to go through this alone. I’ll interfere just before the third show. And the FBI will take me there.” I reply.

„Why are you in this initiation?” He asks.

„I didn’t exactly complete an initiation. I’ve been told that the Eye was impressed with my skills, and that they agreed to protect me.” I admit.

„I would have heard of you.” He tries.

„Oh, you might know me by the name of Simmons.” His eyes glint, a touch of recognition in them. „Sophia Skye Simmons.” Woah, what a James Bond introduction.

„Are any of those your real names?” He asks, making me laugh.

„No, they’re not.”

„Can I ask what’s your real name?” He tries.

„No.” I deadpan.

„Why?” He asks, making me roll my eyes.

„Because you shot at Daniel.” I retort, making him smile. I sigh.

„You should go, now.” I tell him. He nods in agreement. He goes to leave, but turns to me.

„What will you do?” He asks.

„I’ll follow you. Until you reach the plane. And then it’s show time.” I say. He chuckles and goes to leave, again.

„Oh, and Agent Shrike?” I tease, making him turn to me, again. „Consider treating Agent Dray better. It’s obvious how you feel about her.” He glares at me, but sighs and leaves, for good. I start gollowing him after about half a minute, and then I keep hot on his tail until he goes back to the apartment. And then, again, after he goes to check the phone Daniel planted him.

Soon (three coffees later), I’m on the plane. During the take-off, I remember how Jack reacts to them. I hope he’ll be fine, during the next part of the plan. I’m really worried, because I can’t fulfill my role in the next part of the plan. It’s not like I had anything big to do, but I would have kept the firewalls much longer than Henley can. I hope my arrest will give them some more time.

The flight shouldn’t take too long, but I can’t sleep. My mind is practically buzzing. The only thing that I can think of, now that the adrenaline kicked out, is how I actually wanted to kiss him. I genuinely wanted to kiss J. Daniel Atlas. And that freaks me out. I can’t afford myself to be falling for him.

No, he’s got Henley, he’d never- Not to mention that I’d be destroyed by his rejection. Somehow supposing he has the tinies feelings for me, as soon as he finds out that I’ve been kinda lying to the them for the whole year, it’ll blow up in my face. And I’ll be hurt and heartbroken, like I usually am. Damn, do I pick my men good.

Wait, why am I talking like my falling for him is a thing? It can’t be. A small part of me knows, from experience, that all I have to do is admit it, but, heck, no. The longer I don’t admit it, the most likely it is for it not to be true, right? Don’t crush my hopes.

Speaking of crushing, why do I always do that with the guys that’ll hurt me the most? Like, is there some sick reason behind all that? And why is Selena Gomez’s Love You Like a Love Song blaring from the guy-next-to-me’s headphones? This is too much. I feel like I’m going to explode, right now. I need to get out. How the heck to do I get out? I’m on a plane.

I settle for the next best thing. I’m going to the bathroom. On my way there, I notice some guy looking at Katy Perry’s The One That Got Away music video. For some reason, that makes me panic even more. Why are panic attacks so illogical?! A shaky breath escapes my lips and I start to hyperventilate. It’s even worse when I notice there’s someone already in the bathroom.

I glance down at my hands, trying to calm my hands, and I see how bad they’re trembling. A flight attendant must notice my distress, because she starts coming near me, asking me what’s wrong. In the moment she’s touching me, I choke out a sob. I get a flashback from when the police caught me, before I joined the Eye.

I feel the policeman’s hand on my shoulder, grabbing me from behind, just like the flight attendant does, and him grabbing me and pinning me down. I vividly remember falling on my knees, and the awful scrapes I got, and I soon find myself kneeling on the plane floor.

Looking at the floor, I see my hair hanging, just like it did then, and I hear the flight attendant’s voice in my ear, just like I heard the policeman’s voice in my ear. I wince, remembering the hand of another policeman slapping me, in the questioning room. I was refusing to give them answers. Trying to snap myself out of my memories, I look around, seeing the flight attendant’s face for the first time.

She was a beautiful chinese woman, with black hair. Chinese, brunette. Li. He was the one who got me out, helping me fake my death in jail. I remember the coffin they put me in, and how tight it was. I feel the walls of the plane closing in on me, and I can’t breathe. Literally, I can’t breathe. The chinese lady shouts after someone.

„Jack!” Just then, did I realize she’s been talking to me the whole time. Her calling brings me, partly, back to my senses. I still can’t breathe. Jack. Planes. Jack. He’s always the one helping me out with my panic attacks back home. I try to focus on him: his hugs, the way he ruffles my hair, the way he smells, the way he unites our necklaces.

I manage to slow my heartbeat and regain control over my breathing. I raise on shaky legs and find my throat drier than ever. I didn’t have a panic attack like this one in quite a while. They get so much worse when I don’t get enough sleep. Thankfully, this Jack guy comes with a glass of water. I down it in literally two gulps.

„Are you feeling better, Miss?” The chinese woman asks me, worried.

„Yes, thank you. I don’t what got into me.” I weakly smile to her. She leads me back to my seat, and I thank her again. When I was sitting myself back down, I catch Dylan’s worried glance. Great, I pinpointed his location.

Making myself somehow comfortable in my seat, I think back on what just happened. I just had a panic attack from the simple thought that I might be crushing on Jade. A bad one, at that. I try to shrug it off and focus on the plan, instead. That’s one thing I’m good at. Avoiding thinking about something, with the help of planning something else in detail.

When we touch down, I wait for Dylan to get up. I make sure to bump into him when I get off the plane, to let him know of my position. Then, I bump into him again after the luggage claim, where I know I’ll be able to make a run for it. I do have to put on a show.

„Hey!” I hear Dylan shouting after me. „Hey! You! Stop right there!” He bolts after me. I knock a few thigns down, trying to slow him down, but I trip –for a fake trip, it hurt real bad- and he catches up to me and handcuffs me, turning his radio on and letting headquarters know he got me.

„I really hope you know what you’re doing.” He whisper in my ear, as a police dispatch arrives. Me too, Dylan. Me too. They take me into custody, putting me into a room similar to the one from Las Vegas. Two unknown agents walk in, probably to question me.

„What were you doing at the airport?” He snarls.

„Trying to get here.” I say, puting up a scared act.

„Why? Planning to steal something from here, too?” He must think he’s doing a great job, right now. I sigh and fiddle with my gloves, hopefully looking nervous and fidgety.

„No, I would never!” I tell him.

„Look, you seem like a good girl to me. I don’t think you want to go to jail, do you, Tanya?” The other one says. „Can I call you Tanya?”

„No, of course I don’t want to go to jail.” I chew on my lower lip.

„Then help us out, and you won’t. I think you realized that what the Horsemen are doing is bad, right?” The second agent goes on. I widen my eyes, trying to look interested, and I nod my head, afiriming his words. Dude, it’s so easy to play these guys.

„Are you willing to help us?” He asks again. I pretend to think it over, and then say, with a weak and cracked voice.

„Yes.”

That’s when Dylan enters the room, all of a sudden.

„Smart choice, for once, kid. Come, our IT teams needs your help.” He motions at me. I follow him, he uncuffs me and leads me to their IT guys, all of them in a van. They were ready to leave.

„Where do you think they are?” One of the agents ask me, just before I can climb into the back of the van. God, I hope this is a test. I pray to everything out there that I’m not just going to reveal their location. I don’t dare to look at Dylan, I can’t blow our covers.

„If they’re following the plan, they should be back at the flat. On 45 East Evan Street.” I tell them, actually nervous for once.

„She’s clear.” The agent speaks into his radio. I almost sigh in relief. He gives me a sort of warm smile, motioning for me to enter.

„Welcome to the team, Miss Jones.” I weakly smile at him, as the van leaves with a screech.

„What do you need me here for?” I ask.

„Is there any way we can make sure they’re still there? To have visual or audio on them?” Dylan asks me. I nod, frantically.

„Yes, I’ve got cameras installed there a few months ago. But they don’t have audio.” I tell them. Well, they do have audio, but I’m not planning on telling them that. What if one of the slips up and mentions I’m a double agent?

„Can you access them from here?” The other agent asks.

„No, I have to be within 5 miles of the location to do that.” I reply.

„Then, you should be able to access them shortly.” Another agent tells me. I nod at him, then head for an unoccupied computer. I turn it on, suddenly missing the feel of my laptop’s keyboard. I had it for about three years. It was my baby. And now it’s gone. Damn it, Boss, this better be worth it.

I run my fingers over the keystrokes, managing to access the cameras as soon as they’re in reach. They’re safe! The IT team looks at me pretty much awestruck. It literally takes everything I have to restraing from keeping a smug face. Instead, I pretend to be frustrated, letting out a groan.

„What is is? Didn’t you get it?” An agent asks.

„Yes, I did, but-” Dylan cuts me off.

„Put it on the big screen.” He orders, so I do. They look like they’re bickering, just as always.

„I can’t run my lip-reading software, though. We’ve got no ears.” I pretend to be grief-stricken.

„You have a lip-reading software?” A techie asks me, looking super hyped. I nod at him. Dylan approaches the screen, looking intensely at something.

„Wilder is out of reach. I want to see what he’s doing. Can you move the camera a bit?” Oh, great idea. They’ll realize they’re being watched and will move faster.

„Of course.” I say, and move the camera a bit to the left. What they didn’t know is that the camera makes a horrible noise when it moves. They all freeze for the tiniest fraction of a second, but I hope the agents don’t notice.

„Their firewalls are down, sir!” A guy says. I see Henley frantically trying to keep up with what’s going on, and I can’t help but feel very sorry for her. Damn, these guys are really falling apart without me. If I’m not there to stop them from arguing or from exaggeratin in any way, they just blow up in each other’s faces.

„What floor are they on?” Dylan asks me.

„I- I don’t know.” I lie. „We move after every big event, from floor to floor, completely random. I don’t know what floor they’re on.” He groans, hitting his hands on the table.

We arrive at the flat, and the agents go after them, cuffing me to the table. I really feel the love guys. After they’re all gone, and the IT guys are all over the place, outside, I turn the audio on.

Jade realizes the FBI arrived. They’re parting from Jack, now. I’ll be able to have eyes on Jack for the whole time, but not on the other three. To get eyes on them, after Jack’s out of the building, I’ll just have to watch the news. I’d hack into the CCTV system, but a car chase will be ongoing. It’s too much of a bother, plus, it’ll be all over TV.

Back on the present, I’m watching Jack burning the papers. I put on my computer screen all the cameras from the flat, so I can watch everything. Dylan, bless his soul, and the cop who played bad-guy while interrogating me are at the sixth floor, in our apartment.

Just when the other guy is about to find Jack, I signal him by moving the camera. He takes his chance and hides, throwing some more documents in the fireplace. I notice the agent that isn’t Dylan picking up one of my Lego constructions, and I growl at the sight.

Then, I follow Jack as he toys around with the agents, watching him effectively kick their asses. Firstly, the other guy’s. Using a sink. Man, I swear to God, Jack and I were separated at birth. Again, God bless Dylan’s soul for being such a good sport.

I wince when his gun hits the other guy’s sensitive spot, and continue watching him being badass. Yeah, I taught him some pretty neat moves. The other guy screams for Dylan, and I turn the volume down, realizing I can’t be heard from outside.

Jack throws Dylan down, cuffing him and taking his radio. From the radio, I hear FBI agents’ voices.

„Five’s clear. Standing by for six.” Dylan throws Jack a bone and doesn’t attack or tackle him, giving him the chance to imitate his voice, too. Damn, this guy’s good. I beam at Jack’s skills, as he tricks the agents into moving to the next floor.

Then, Jack picks up some flash paper, throwing it in Dylan’s face, trying to slow him down. When he runs out, Dylan pushes him into the curtains and Jack goes the Henley-way. Illusionism. He dissapears from them, slowing Dylan down a bit.

Anyway, they keep fighting, and then Jack does his thing, throwing cards at the undercover FBI agent. I smile at him. He can make this. He will make it. He exits the flat, and then I’m blind. I turn the volume off. In under two minutes, the van is crawling with people again. Guess who enters the van I’m in? That’s right, the sink agent.

„You!” He shouts, making my eyes shoot up at him, as we drive away. „You had visual on the whole thing!”

„Yes, I did. I also had hancuffs and no agents or radios around me. You know what I didn’t have?” I snap at him. He raises an eyebrow. „Any idea what floor you and Rhodes were assigned to!” I almost said Shrike, really. Phew. He seems convinced as he crawls into the front of the van, and I access the news and watch the chase, live.

I see everything unravel and let out a relieved sigh when I see Dylan crawling out of the car, alive and with the documents we planted. Jack’s safe. But I have to put on a scared act. I have to fake a panic attack? I don’t know if I can. So, I do what I never thought I’d even consider doing. I try to trigger a panic attack.

I think back on everything that happened in Canada, all those years ago. The capture, the jail, the escape. I get nothing. Dylan is the first one to enter the van, a few other agents right behind him. I was going to ask him to trigger something, but I can’t. What the heck am I doing now? I’m really starting to panic, now. I try to calm myself down, but then I realize this is exactly what I need.

I focus on how if I don’t pretend he’s dead, Jack’s cover is blown, Dylan’s cover is blown, and especially my cover is blown. I start freaking out, my hands visibly shaking on the keyboard. I start breathing heavily and find myself in need to fake some tears. A few agents rush at my side, but I start trashing and kicking.

I’m not really having a panic attack, though. I’m throwing a worried fit. I’m acting too rational to be having a panic attack. I dramatically collapse to the ground –well, try to- I’m stopped by the handcuffs. I think that actually has an even more dramatic effect. Dylan stept forward, obvipusly trying to calm me down, but I struggle against the handcuffs and let out a few whimpers.

„You killed him! You’re the one who did it!” I sob at him. „You said you wanted to imprison them, not to kill them! You lied to me!” He tries to speak up, but I cut him off.

„No! Shut up! I trusted you!” The sink agent pulls him away, and I listen to their conversation, fake-sobbing silently.

„What’s she saying?”

„At the airport. I promised her that if she helps us, no one will get hurt and she’ll get to walk.” He lies. Good, he caught onto it. The sink agent buys the lies and leaves. The other agents and IT guys manage to calm me down. Yeah, definitely not a panic attack.

The next hour or so passes by in a blur. I’m so immersed in realizing what I’m going to do next that I can’t process anything. That’s good though. My concentration is probably perceived as grief. Exactly what I need them to think. By now, the Horsemen should already be on their way to the safe, hoping to meet me there. Sorry to dissapoint, guys, but I have a handful of FBI agents to trick.

„Where are they headed next?” The sink guy’s been asking me the same thing over and over again.

„I’m not telling you anything.” I seethe at him. „Not anymore. Looks like you’re the bad guys, after all.” I snarl.

„We didn’t kill him!” He lifts his hands in exasperation.

„Sure. And I’m supposed to, what? Take your word for it? I already did that mistake once.” I snap at them. That’s when his phone goes off and he heads outside. They probably figured out what the papers we planted are.

I’m left alone for about ten to twenty minutes, and then Dylan and the sink agent join me. Am I assigned to them or something?

„Where are they going?” The sink agent seethes. There’s something about him that tells me he’s just asking for my confirmation.

„Are they going for the safe in Queens?” Dylan snarls at me. I almost make a face at that. Something tells me he just experienced something... Unpleasant.

„No.” I asnwer quickly, hoping to make them think I’m lying. „What safe in Queens?” I make my nose and eyebrows twitch nervously.

„She’s lying.” The sink agent tells Dylan. Oh, yeah. 10 points for me.

„N-no, I’m not!” I make a last, ‚desperate’ attempt, keeping my act up.

„Yes, you are.” Dylan growls at me. „We’re leaving, now.” He shouts at the agents outside.

„The only reason you’re still here is because we don’t have the time to drop you off. Do something we don’t like, you’re going straight to jail. Got that, pretty face?” He mutters threateningly. If I wouldn’t have to keep the act up, I would have totally went Avengers-Natasha-Romanoff all over him. And the rest of the FBI, for taking my Clint Barton away from me.

Instead, I do have an act to keep. No matter how much I’m itching for her type of comeback, I nod and look away. They exit, and we leave in seconds.

Once we’re at the safe, they leave me inside and run to it, only to realize, surprise, that the safe isn’t there. I see the truck with the balloon filled safe (although they didn’t know that) being taken away in a truck, and the mighty FBI forces running like chickens, after it. I can’t help a chuckle escaping my mouth. Lucky me, there isn’t anyone around.

A new agent comes up with a ‚genius’ plan, unknowingly stalling for some time, and I could seriously go hug him right now. If I didn’t find his face to hateable, that is. As they’re going after it, I tune out. They mindlessly push a folder in my arms’ reach. And guess what’s inside that folder? Uh-huh. A paper clip. I take it, and work out my escape plan. It’ll have to happen at 5 Pointz. I don’t think I can walk from here to there.

On our way there, they find the video the Horsemen posted, where they’re revealing the location of our final show. While the truck parks, just a few blocks from where our show is, I realize I have to make my move. Sadly, the two agents who interrogated me are still here, guarding me. After the rest are gone and I know they’re unable of hearing me, I unlock my cuffs.

„Tanya?” I hear the agent who played good-cop ask me.

I smirk and drop them on the floor of the van, making both agents get up. I feel the adrenaline pumping thorugh my veines. I didn’t fight someone, properly fight someone, since Canada. I leap forward and relieve them from their radios, then start throwing punches left and right.

Not a few seconds in, and I manage to get the sink guy on the floor, in a crumpled and pained heap. I knock the other guy out with my elbow, hearing the sirens blare up. Boss must be there, then, stalling. As the guy’s head hits the floor, I mutter angrily at him.

„It’s Miss Jones for you.” Then, I snatch a laptop and prepare to leave, but, just then. I hear a shot. And I feel like my foot’s being torn apart. Not turning, I toss the nearest heavy thing behind me. I hear a groan anda thud and I know I hit him. Getting down and making it a few metres in, I stop when I can’t move anymore.

I glance down. He got my thigh. I check for an exit would and sigh in relief when I find one. It’s a pretty easy hit. I could have gotten it much worse. I’m still killing Boss whenever I see him. I tear the bottom part of my t-shirt and secure my thigh, trying to stop –or slow, for that matter- the bleeding. I hiss when I tighten the hold. I raise to my feet and notice a cab coming my way.

Thank the Lord. I hail it and try to act normal, telling him to go to the show’s lcoation, only a few blocks away. Initially, he refuses, but I toss 200 dollars in his lap and he speeds away. In under a minute, I’m there. I thank the driver and find my way through the crowd of people, wincing at every step and keeping the ‚borrowed’ laptop close by.

Damn, the intro special effects just started. And I underestimated Henley’s skill. Another thing I did is missing my last checkpoint. They probably think I’m dead, by now. Oops. They’ll kill me when they’ll see I’m alive, and late. I enter the building and find my way, surprsingly fast, up the stairs. I hear them shuffling and hurrying and I know they’re about to start.

I limp my way until the entryway. Hearing my footstept, they freeze. Probably thinking it’s the police. But no. It’s me. T-shirt torn, bleeding thigh, tangled hair and pale-faced, but it’s me.

„Chill down.” I call out. Making one more limped step, I see them. It feels like I haven’t seen them in months. I breathe a relieved laugh and nearly drop the laptop. Looking down to it and arranging my hand better, I don’t notice what happens. When I look up, I see-

Well, I don’t see anything. My sight is blocked by a person. A tall person, that hugs me. Hearing the person sigh, with their head nuzzled in my shoulder, I can stick a name to it. To him, actually. It’s Jade, of course it is. I make sure to keep my thigh away from his. We wouldn’t want his pretty suit to get blood stains on, after all. I awkwardly put my free hand around him.

I barely get to take a look at the other two- Henley has her hands cupped around her mouth and Merrit is just standing here, jaw dropped, that Jade releases me and holds my face in his hands. He looks down, at my bleeding thigh, and opens his mouth to ask about it. Naturally, I cut him off.

„Don’t. No time. I’m here, that’s what matters. Shut up, you have a show to perform.” I put my free hand over his right palm, encasing my face. He looks at me worriedly, then he goes back to the device. Merrit and Henley go, too, each throwing me a relieved look.

I tune out and open the laptop. Deciding I don’t have time for a system reboot, I put the data from the micro SD card on it, and plug it to the device they’re all using. Managing to limp horribly, obviously. I stop the holograms and lift the dummies on the roof, sending the FBI chasing wild geese. 

I leave the program to do what it was designed to do, and then I raise to my feet. Try to, that is. Daniel is the one who helps me up. But they can’t wait after me, they’ll get caught. I shrug him off from me.

„You have to go.” I say. This is so déjà vu.

„I’m not leaving you. Not again.” He pushes, coming closer to me, as Henley and Merrit are already running to the elevator.

„Yes, you are. I can throw them off track.” I tell him, bothered that I really need to use him as support.

„You can’t even walk.” He notices.

„Look, if you’re trying to take me with you, then we, all of us, will definitely get caught. If you let me to my devices, there’s a slim chance we’ll all make it.” He still seems reticent. He’s giving me the puppy eyes, and I can’t take it anymore.

I throw my arms around him and engulf him in a hug. He immediately hugs back, clinging onto me. I release him, and he takes my hand, while my other is still wrapped around his neck. My heart is beating so fast I can’t even hear what I’m saying next.

„I promise I’ll find you.” I whisper. Then, I do the most reckless thing I ever did. I kiss him on the cheek and push him away from me, managing to somehow keep myself stable. He backs up slowly, looking reluctant to let go of my hand. His other hand’s fingers brush his cheek. I let go of his hand, then he turns and bolts in a dead run.

I hear footsteps coming up. Dylan’s and Agent Dray’s. After I heard someone’s footsteps, I remember them for the rest of eternity. I panic, not knowing what to do or where to go. I can’t run. I can’t even walk.

I’m trapped.


	9. Chapter Eight

A stupid idea comes to mind. At last! The best tkind of ideas. I collapse on the ground, not taking time to look elegant, and I close my eyes. I make my breathing shallow and slow my heartbeat. Dylan comes in first, and he kneels by my side. I can’t let him know I’m faking it, I need him to fall for it.

„She’s still breathing.” He mutters. „Stay here, with her.” He orders. Wait, no!

„She doesn’t look like leaving anytime soon. I told you, I’m coming with you.” She retorts. Oh, that was actually pretty clever. The sound of the crowd can be heard from here, and it just went hectic. After they run off, I gather myself off and slowly limp my way out. Through the very places I know no one will look for me.

I find my way out of the bulding, only to look up and see money showering. We actually made it! We actually, genuinely pulled this off. I feel kind of bad for Boss, now. Getting stuck with the money in his car. Suits him right for getting me unintentionally shot at, though.

I afford myself to let out a laugh, and then I limp my way to a medical supplies store I’ve seen on the map. Satisfyingly close to my location, too. I scare the cashier a bit, but I tell him it’s for a costume party I’m headed to. He still looks at me weirdly. Not that I think he shouldn’t, I probably look like a homeless person.

I buy some sterile suture needles, bandages and thread, and hope to run into Dylan before I bleed out completely. There was a while when I could stitch myself up. But one, I’m really out of practice since then, and two, my hands are trembling way too bad from the huge blood loss.

Lucky for me, Dylan predicts my move. Just as I’m walking away from the store, trying to keep a normal pace, he bumps into me. Straight into me. I instictively plant myself onto my feet, which just makes the wound bleed and hurt more. I groan, clinging onto him.

„What happened?” He asks. I grit my teeth shrug it off, practically feeling the gaze the cashier gives us.

„Outside.” I breathe. He helps me limp my way outside, supporting me. I breathe the chilly night air, feeling a bit more relaxed. „Well, obviously, I got shot.” I start.

„I figured.” He huffs.

„I need to catch up with my team.” I say.

„Your team?” He smiles.

„Yes, my team. Now, stitch me up.” I say, pushing the sealed needles and thread in his chest.

„What, here?” He sounds suspicious.

„Unless you can help me maintain my balance, keep a steady hand and stitch me up simultaneously, no. Let’s get to that bench, over ther.” I point at about five feet, making a stept towards it, which obviously leads me to lose balance and almost-fall. Dylan has quick reflexes.

„Okay, let me help.” He picks me up, bridal style, making me groan.

„Dude, we’ve only just met. I ain’t marrying you.” He chuckles, and his reverberating chest tickles my side. I get the feeling we’ll be good friends, he has a nice sense of humour. When we get to the bench, he gently drops me on it.

„Stuff some bandages in my mouth, before you start.” I tell him. He looks at me, shocked. „We don’t want people hearing.” I manage to flash a smile at him.

Dylan looks a bit dumbfounded, not knowing how to get to the wound. I roll my eyes at him and start taking my trousers off. Man, I hope no one passes by. He goes beetle red, making me huff at him.

„What, you didn’t plan on taking us to the beach anytime soon?” He gulps, still very flustered. „Get on with it, I know it’ll hurt like a bitch. The sooner it’s over, the better.” I extend my hand for the bandages. He passes them to me, and I stuff my mouth with them.

He starts working on the wound. Within one minute, he’s finished with the entry wound. Another almost-minute, and he’s done with the exit wound. Just in case you’re wondering, yes, I have been screaming my lungs out all this time. After he’s done, we’re both of us really sweaty. I remove the cloth from my mouth.

„Would you be a sugar and patch me up, too?” I ask hoarsely, breathing heavily and handing him the rest of the bandages. He throws me an are-you-serious look, and I return it with a glare. I think I’m the one in more pain, here. He bandages my thigh, and then I pull my jeans back on. Thankfully, there were no passerbys. He bandages over my jeans, too. I’m close to protesting, but he cuts me off.

„They’re arresting Bradley now. I have to see that. Can you walk?” He offers me a hand. I swat it away and pick myself up. It still hurts like all hells, but it’s consistently improved.

„Yes. But not all the way to Central Park. Can you call me a cab, please?” He nods, and makes the call. After he’s finished, he informs me of when it’ll come, then he sighs.

„Don’t you ever, ever, ever make me do that, ever again.” He tells me. I laugh at him.

„I think I had a harder time than you did, pal.” I pat his chest.

„Okay, so you’ll distract the Horsemen while I talk to Bradley?” He concludes. Oh, boy. He is sooo clueless.

„Uhh, ish.” I say, getting a curious look from him. „I’m going to tell them what I’ve been hiding all year. They deserve to know.” Dylan gives an accepting nod and shrug. Just when he prepares to go, my cab arrives. He sees me into it and waves at me. I wave back, then turn to the driver.

„Central Park, please.” I hand him a fifty dollar bill. „Fast.”

After we’ve made it to Central Park, I leave him fifty more bucks, and I get down. I sigh in relief, seeing the gates are already unlocked. The Horsemen must already be here. They couldn’t have been here for long, though. I find my way to the Lionel Shrike tree, seeing the people I started to value as family gathered around it.

They’re staring at the cards, pretty confused as to why they merged, and now they’re not doing anything. I take a moment of relief, seeing Jack safe and sound. I clear my throat, then speak up, voice still hoarse.

„It’s because you need this one, too.” I fish my card out, not letting it merge with the others’. Seeing me, everyone has the identical look. Relief, joy, sheer happiness. Jack makes a beeline to me, and hugs the life ouf of me. I cling onto him as he spins me around. I missed his hugs. I missed them so much.

He lets me down, chuckling in relief. I see the whole squad gathered around us, and I go to hug each and every one of them, even if I had already hugged Jade, back at the show. Hey, don’t judge me for wanting to hug my crush.

Oh, Lord. I freeze at that thought, ironically hugging Daniel in the same moment. I release myself from him, realizing I just admitted to myself that I’m crushing on him. Man, I’m screwed. I clear my throat, remembering I had come here with a reason.

„Before I do that, though. I feel like I have some explaining to do.” I start.

„No, we got your video.” Henley says. My eyes lights up in relief, but then, the look is wiped off of my face, realizing I didn’t have any script for this next part. Not even a quick draft. I sigh.

„That’s great, but it’s not exactly what I meant.” I say, backing a bit, so I can look at everyone clearly. Here we go. I’d better start by dropping the bomb. „I’ve been lying to you this whole year.” I admit, closing my eyes. I really don’t want to see if their looks are as worse as I feared.

„I’m a part of the Eye.” I breathe, opening a single eye. They all have relieved looks on their faces, of varying degrees. Jack lets out a breathed laugh.

„Seriously? This is it?” He looks confused.

„Aren’t you mad that I’ve been keeping this from you?” I ask, completely puzzled.

„I wouldn’t say mad.” Merrit says. „More like curious as to why.”

„Well, I had orders.” I start. „Plus, it wouldn’t have made much of a difference.”

„How so?” Jade asks, honestly curious.

„I didn’t enter the Eye through the traditional way, you see. I , uh- I got in thanks to this huge thing I pulled off in Canada, a while back. So, I was assigned to this initiation and given just as many details as any of you.” I explain.

„So you were familiar with the tech we found in the flat.” Henley says.

„I kinda designed it.” I admit sheepishly.

„No way!” Jack says. „Dude, that’s so cool!” I blush at his words.

„So you guys really aren’t mad at me?” I ask, still not believing it.

„No, T.J. We’re not.” Daniel tells me, gazing straight into my eyes. He gives me a smile. The heart-melting, knees-weakening smile. Damn, I told you I’m screwed if I admit it. I’m about to correct him about my name, but then, Merrit speaks up.

„Well, come on, then. Let’s get this show on the road.” He urges. I notice Dylan’s form somewhere in the back, and I give him a mental praise. This guy can be really fast, when he wants to. Wait. Dang, that sounds wrong.

„Okay.” I agree, lifting my card up, and moving it towards me. The four cards from Henley’s hand merge into mine, and the picture with the Eye from the back starts shining brighter. Just then, the funfair behind us lights up, and I smile at the hyped out Horsemen. Going to check it out, I have to stifle a snort seeing how their jaws drop. They see Dylan.

„Oh. My. God. I did not see that coming!” Merrit states. „That’s impossible!”

„No way.” Jack breathes.

„That was actually, uh- pretty good.” Holy bejesus, did he just compliment Dylan? Damn. He must be really surprised. Or cloned.

„Thank you.” Dylan answers, ever so modestly. I smile at him.

„When I said ‚always be the smartest guy in the room’...” Jade starts, cringing a bit. I realize he must be talking about the interogation. My first one, their only one.

„We were in agreement.” Dylan finishes for him.

„Okay. Right.” Daniel awkwardly adds.

„Henley.” Dylan then addresses the next Horseman. She just stares at him, wordlessly, muttering a small ‚ah’. Of course, this is the moment Jade decides to speak up.

„I’ve never seen her speechless.” He points at her with his flashlight.

„I’ll take that as a huge compliment.” Dylan says, stretching his hand. She takes it, beaming at him.

„Hey, man. I am so sorry for kicking your ass, really.” Jack says, looking half worried, half amused. Dylan chuckles in response.

„Hey, listen, for the record.” Merrit starts, putting an arm around my shoulder. I shrug him off and go to stand beside Dylan. I’m so pranking McKay’s ass. I just hope Shrike Junior will catch on. Judging by the mischevious side glance he gives me, he does.

„I have always been a 100% believer.” Merrit goes on, unperturbed. Jack fake-coughs at this, making me grin. „And the amount of energy I’ve put to keep these infidels on point.” Cue Henley nudging him. Dylan puts a finger in front of him, and drags me a bit to the side, where we pretend to be mulling the thought over.

In reality, I’m trying to keep myself from laughing.

„Dylan, I swear to God, I’d pay anything to see the looks on their faces right now.”

„I know. Me too. Okay, I’ll have to ask you to nod at something I said.” I nod. „Feel free to burts into uncontrollable laughter after I give him the news.” He half-giggles. I nod again, and we turn to face the very worried looking Horsemen, and a very, very pale Merrit.

„Merrit, you’re in.” Dylan announces.

„God bless.” Merrit breathes, and my facade cracks. I start laughing, and so do the rest.

„Wait, so you were in on this?” Jade asks, gesturing between the six of us.

„What, Dylan secretly helping us?” I reply. He nods. „No way. I figured it out, though. Couple of days back.” I tell them.

„And you didn’t think of telling us about it because...?” Merrit trails off.

„I wasn’t particularly sure. I wasn’t going to endanger our safety for nothing.” I only half-lie. If they hear of my talking to Boss, they might figure out who he is. And my orders are to keep his cover intact, until further notice. And that notice will probably come really late, seeing he’s in jail.

„Well, I have one thing to tell you. Something you’ve been waiting to hear for a long time.” Dylan addresses me. „A warm, official welcome into the Eye. You’ve made it.” He shakes my head, and I beam at him.

„I have one question, though.” He starts.

„Yeah?” I ask.

„What should I call you?” He asks.

„Wait, what?” Henley asks, puzzled.

„Yeah, how can you know all our names and not know hers?” Jack supports her.

„Yeah, about that.” I start. They all stare at me. „I was going to tell you! Merrit interrupted me!” I defend myself, not really lying. Merrit rolls his eyes at my behavior. „He knows me by another name.” I point at Dylan.

„What name?” Jade rushes to ask.

„Sophia Skye Simmons.” I reply.

„Is that your real name?” Merrit asks.

„Dudem did you ever see parents that are that creative?” I try to joke. When I’m faced with blank expressions, I resume to the question.

„No.” I admit. There were some other dark secrets hidden behind that name, but they’d best stay buried, for another time.

„Is Tanya Jones your real name?” Jade asks, looking a bit betrayed.

„Um, no. Fake ID. It was necessary for the mission.” I confess, pinching the bridge of my nose.

„What is your real name?” Jack asks. To hell with all, they’ve all proved worthy of knowing this secret. Even Dylan, and I only know him for like, a week. I sigh through my nose.

„Rebecca. My name’s Rebecca.” I tell them, moving myself between Jack and Daniel „So you can call me that.” I answer Dylan’s previous question.

„Just Rebecca?” Henley asks, confused.

„Yeah, just Rebecca. Well, actually, no.” I stutter. They look confused. „I obviously have a last name, I just don’t know it yet.”

„You don’t know your parents?” Jack asks me. I shake my head no. „And the DNA tests were unconclusive.” I tell them, with a weak smile. I don’t know why this still affects me. I never even met the guys. They all look at me with pity in their eyes. This is one of the reasons I kept this hidden from them. I look at the ground, unable to take their looks anymore.

Unnoticed by me, both Jack and Jade go to put their arms around my shoulder, to give me a side hug. But they collide arms, and have a silent conversation over my hunched head. Jack gives in and allows Daniel to wrap his arm around me, under the warm looks of the rest of the squad.

When I feel his arm wrapping around me, I look up and find his eyes. I lean into him, placing my head on his shoulder. Since the adrenaline is running off and everything, I can definitely explain the dizziness I’m feeling. He gives my shoulder a squeeze and keeps his hand there. I think I am most relieved when I see that in Henley’s eyes there is nothing else, other than pure joy.

„Come.” Dylan says softly, moving to the merry-go-round. I lift myself, trying to regain my composure and not look in sync with how I feel. Like I’m about to pass out from the blood loss, exhaustion, possibly hunger, too. I can feel my face going paler, but I’m not going to ruin Dylan’s moment. I’ve had worse.

„The real magic is taking four-” He pauses, looking at me. „And a half.” I smile, motioning him to continue. „Strong solo acts, and making them all work together. And that’s exactly what you did.” He pauses, and I get a moment.

I think I figured out an underlying reason for which Boss sent me on this initiation. I think back on all the times in which I didn’t even think about doing something else. Other than being the tech girl, that is. Not when we figured out the Horsemen’s stage name, not at the interrogation, never. And I didn’t think back on it.

Now, Boss said he sent me here to, quote, ‚consider it a test’, because I ‚always said I wanted to be more than just the tech girl’. I think I finally figured it out. That wasn’t it. He realized, before I did, that there’s nothing more suiting for me than being the tech girl. He saw, when I didn’t, how much I enjoyed doing it.

„Welcome.” Dylan greets, almost as if he read my thoughts. „Welcome to the Eye.” He efortlessly gets on the merry-go-round, tempting us to do the same. Henley gasps, seeing him dissapear. Jack and I share a glance and jump over the fence, the rest following soon.

„This is it.” I say. Feeling Daniel’s hand slipping into mine, my heart goes racing, and I’m sure it already compensated the blood loss, and that I’m feeling dizzy for a whole new reason now. I entwine our fingers. Yep, definitely screwed. Completely, hoplessly and uterrly screwed.

I really love this, as opossed to how weird I consider couples who hold each other’s hands like a mom would with her baby. Or a sister with a brother. Or friends, like Jack and me. Wait, not that Jade and I are a couple or anything. Pffsht. That’s ridiculous.

„Rebecca, huh?” Daniel asks, looking down at me. As I said, I’m only an inch shorter, but he really knows how to use that to his advantage. I nod at him, looking into his wonderfully-blue eyes. The other were paying dubiously close attention to us. I mean, Jade and I. Not us. I repeat, that’s not a thing.

„It suits you better than Tanya.” I smile at him. He smiles back, and then I let go of his hand and go running into the merry-go-round. The squad soon follows me. I look back at them and smile, never having felt so happy in my entire life.

I breathe a laugh, and we dissapear into the night.


	10. Epilogue

We’re driving to a place where Dylan sent us to. Obviously, not telling us what to expect from it. The others are trying to get intel from me, but won’t believe me when I tell them I know nothing. I really don’t.

„Come on, Bec!” Jack urges. They accomodated to my name being Rebecca rather easily. Jack calling me Bec is another reason for which he reminds me of Li. Damn, I miss him. „You’re in the Eye, too! You have to know something.” He breathes.

„I don’t, Wonder Boy.” I tell him, making the four either scoff, laugh, snort or look at me weirdly. „As I’ve been telling you all.” I pause a bit, taking my time to glare at the whole team. „He doens’t have the same informes I do! We get our orders from different places!”

„How do you get your orders, really?” Jade asks.

„In a way you’ll never find out of.” I huff at him, making him pout. It’s like I’m mothering all of them, really!

We take our conversation back to normal, until we manage to get on each other’s nerves, just as usual. That’s how we love it, and we know it. When we’re nearly there, the bickering gets almost insufferable.

„Stop, stop, stop!”

„Okay, stop the van. Stop the van. I’m going to jump out of the van.” Jade says.

„Can I throw you?” I ask hopefully, only half-joking.

„This is seriously-” Henley’s words get mashed up with everything else.

„Oh, thank God!” I say, getting out of that van as soon as humanly possible.

„Oh, wow!” Henley exclaims, jumping out, too. We are at this odd-abandoned-funfair looking place.

„Where are we?”

„Oh, great, another shed.” I don’t even bother to process who said what. I’m going straight in the wreckage-looking thing, inspecting everything I can get my eyes on.

„Oh-kay! Feeling it.”

„I’m exhausted, and hungry.” Jade streches, pausing his speech. „And cranky.”

„Like that’s new.” I say, making the Horsemen laugh. And Jade put obviously. I ruffle his hair and he playfully glares at me. Yeah, talk about character development.

„Check out this place.” I hear Henley, over a few metres of junk.

„Where- where did you bring us?” Merrit asks no one in sepcific.

„Was there no landfill where we came from?” Jade asks.

„This place is awesome!” Jack shouts.

„I know, right?!” I shout back. Merrit shakes his head at our antics. We reach a warehouse looking place and enter it. There’s a bunch of boxes in here,

„Is this our new gear?” Henley asks excitedly, heading straight to one of the boxes, the rest of us following suit.

„There better not be, like, matching jumpsuits or anything. You know I don’t wear spandex.” Jade rants.

„Shh.” I shush him.

„Did you just-” He glances between Jack and I. „Did she just shush me?” He asks, shocked.

„I think she did, man.” Jack chuckles. „It’s locked.”

„Say what? I thought ‚nothing’s ever locked’ for you?” I am genuinely confused. Yes, they told me about what happened before I arrived at the New York flat. Damn, that’s quite a while back. I shrug it off, then turn to the locks on the boxes.

„Guys, the cards!” Henley calls.

„Wh- What card?” Merrit gulps.

„Wait, what do you mean, what card?” Jade rapid fires.

„You didn’t!” His look tells me everything I need to know. „You did Oh my god!” He pats his pockets, frantically searching for the cards.

„Okay.” He hesitates.

I will honestly, singlehandedly, kill this guy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yeet it got done if anyone actually reads it please lmk i wrote in over one week of hard emotional distress and shit idk


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